I hope you are finding some gentle moments, amidst what can often feel like a very busy time of year.
We had our final market of the year on Saturday evening and then, after a slow start to Sunday, we went for a walk whilst the sun was out and my goodness was it needed!
Shop update
We wanted to let you know that our online shop will be closing this Wednesday 17th at 5pm. All orders made before this time will be posted out the following day, in time for Christmas.
Stock is running low. We have completely sold out of our homegrown smoulder sticks and have just 3 medium lunar calendars and 2 wheel of the year card sets remaining…
We have added a few final pieces of Wild Jewellery to our store which alongside all remaining pieces have 20% off for the next 2 days as a thank you for your support this year.
I have really been enjoying spotting the Ivy climbing up the trunks and branches of trees on my walks lately. Whilst many plants are dormant over the Winter, Ivy continues its journey, climbing trees and walls in order to reach the light. It is wild and rambling, filled with energy and vigour and is steeped in folklore and mystery. It can be symbolic of our own, wild journey and guides us in embracing the twists and turns in our path.
Energy & Symbolism: Wildness, Journey, Change, Growth, Embracing ourselves
However you will be spending the next few weeks, I hope there will be moments of peace, magic and connection present for you.
I wanted to share some of my favourite Winter treasure with you before I go…
With love and magic,
Nic x
P.s do check out my favourite, simple Yule practices below if you’d like!
I wanted to let you know that this week is National Tree Week (22nd – 30th November) which marks the beginning of the annual tree planting season here in the UK. I don’t know about you, but it brings me joy on this drizzly, grey day, just thinking about all the little trees that are being planted up and down the country, over the coming weeks and months.
This year, the focus of National Tree Week is ‘a future filled with trees‘ and if you know me even slightly, you will know I need no excuse to celebrate our tree kin!
Last year, I shared my ‘Tree Guides for Embracing Change‘ post where I outline some of my favourite ways to begin connecting with trees. If you aren’t sure how to identify a particular tree but are curious about deepening your connection, I recommend catching up with this post.
In today’s post, I wanted to share some of the magnificent trees that have inspired us this year. We would LOVE to hear about any trees that have been special to you too, so do leave us a comment if you feel called to.
I will also be revealing some new woods that we have been co-creating with this month and sharing a discount code with you, so let’s dive in!
Field Maple, the unsung hero
In early Summer, I came across this beautiful, old field maple in a woodland near where I live. It is funny, I visit this woodland often and yet had never noticed this tree before.
The Field Maple is our only Maple native to the UK and they are such a staple of the British landscape that they are often overlooked. This is exactly what I had done, all the years that I had walked by on my track through the woods.
On one particular day however, I did notice this glorious tree, its branches extending so wide, that I felt as if they scooped me underneath this beautiful canopy. Over Summer, I visited often, spotting so much wildlife as I sat with my back against the trunk. It became my go to place, anytime I craved space, connection, perspective or comfort.
In Autumn, the Field Maple leads the transformation, as its leaves turn a brilliant yellow, reminding us, that they are there, nestled throughout the hedgerows and woodlands. They can also be found across our towns and cities, where they are very successful at tolerating pollution and providing vital homes, food and refuge to wildlife.
I think of them as steady, hardworking and humble trees that help us to find the beauty and magic in the mundane.
Our first time working with this beautiful Maple wood, revealed these glorious markings
Sycamore, and deciding on a tree’s energy…
We sometimes get asked how we decide what ‘energy’ represents a particular tree, so I hope this post shares a little insight into how we connect with and learn from trees…
During an oppressively hot day around midsummer (yes, I know it might be hard to imagine that just now…) we headed for the woods in search of some shade. After some time strolling, we approached a mound, somewhere towards the middle of the woodland. On top of the mound stood a circle of 5 big sycamore trees. Their dense canopies united as one, blocking most of the sunlight from reaching the ground beneath them. The top of the mound was covered by a thick, (shade loving) mossy green carpet.
It felt as though we had hit the jackpot, as we climbed up and set our rucksacks down, taking shelter from the sun beneath these towering trees. We spent the afternoon, reading, snoozing and chatting away in what felt like our very own sanctuary. As I gazed up at the 5 pointed leaves above my head, I was reminded of a sycamore tree that I used to pass on my way to school. On several occasions, me and my mum took shelter from heavy rain showers underneath its branches.
When I got home that evening, I read a little more about Sycamore trees, and how they were often the chosen tree planted to shade or shelter farmhouses. Their fast growing nature, dense canopy and ability to withstand exposure to cold, wind, salt spray and air pollution makes them ideal trees to plant for shade or shelter.
And so, when we consider the life history and nature of how Sycamore trees grow and interact with the land around them and combine that with how we feel when we spend time with them, we chose the word ‘Sanctuary’ to represent their energy. For all those that have taken shelter from the elements, beneath their branches.
Beech, the Queen of the Woods
Earlier in the month we spent a lovely week exploring the woodlands of Cannock Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Staffordshire.
It was the perfect time to enjoy the colours of Autumn, the golden tones of the Larch, Birch and Sycamores to the rusty bronzes of the Beech trees.
Golden LarchesButtery BirchesBronze Beech trees
During one of our walks, we noticed ‘the 6 crones’ marked on the map and couldn’t resist taking a look. The map guided us to 6 very old Beech trees, that looked as though they have been planted in a circle at least a few hundred years ago.
They were quite the sight, with missing limbs, fungi creeping up their old trunks, and thinning canopies, they certainly felt the Queens of this forest!
Connecting and learning from trees, is an ever expanding journey that brings awe, perspective and connection to me regularly.
Spending time with them often helps remind me of the bigger picture, as I consider all they have stood through until this point, from changes to the landscape around them, to harsh winters and dry summers, on and on they grow.
And this is why we feel inspired to contribute to National Tree Week and to a ‘future filled with trees.’ By gathering and planting seeds from many of the amazing trees we have met this year it feels like the right way for us to honour them, and we can’t wait to see what grows next Spring!
Wild Fen Updates
We have been so inspired by all of the wonderful trees we have met this year, and have some beautiful new pieces to share with you over the coming weeks, in fact there are some in store already….here is a sneak peak of what is available right now!
To say thank you for your support again this year, we would like to offer you 20% off any Wild Jewellery pieces for the rest of this year! Simply enter the code YULE20 at the checkout.
Upcoming events
We still have some brilliant events to come before the year is out. Here is where you can find us next:
As we prepare to welcome December, I hope you find space for some moments to pause, and slow down during this notoriously busy month. Here is to making the space to step outside when the sun is shining, snuggle up with a good book after the sun sets and breathe when (or ideally before) it all feels a little too much!
Me again! Just a reminder that it is almost time for our Autumn Collection to go live. They will be in store at 6pm this evening.
We have been inspired by some beautiful trees for this collection, including:
Hawthorn
Hawthorns have long been associated with magic, healing and protection. They are believed to aid connection to our intuition and the wisdom of the natural world. A medicine for the heart and the nervous system. Hawthorn can guide us to reconnect to ourselves and our magic, dispel fear, and live from the heart.
Oak
Oak trees support more life than any other native tree. They live long lives, bringing stability to the environment around them. Human evolution has been shaped by these magnificent trees, and we have an intrinsic connection to them.
Their roots delve as deep as their branches open wide, giving them balance and a deep rootedness that supports their vast presence.
Blackthorn
Blackthorns are small but powerful trees that grow in dense thickets, providing a safe home for many species of wildlife. Their sharp thorns create boundaries and working with their energy can help us strengthen our own boundaries to create a safe space to connect with our inner worlds.
Yew
Yew trees were deeply revered by our ancestors as the ‘tree of immortality’ due to their amazing abilities to survive, regenerate and live for thousands of years. Humans have most probably evolved and lived alongside Yew trees since the beginning.
Yew trees can provide the gift of perspective, inner strength and ingenuity as well as help us to feel connected to our ancestors and their wisdom.
Horse Chestnut
Horse Chestnut trees were introduced to Britain in the late 16th century and have since become a symbol of the Autumn season. Its leaves are one of the first to change colour and fall as we crunch them underfoot in our search for their plump, shiny conkers.
In Spring, their large, sticky buds open up like vivid green palms, welcoming us to a new season of growth. Their large, conic flowers decorate the trees in early Summer as if to announce the potential of the year ahead.
Woodland slices
We have also included some new pieces to our Woodland slice collection too.
Smoulder Sticks
Prints & cards
To celebrate the Equinox, there is also 20% off all of our prints and our Wheel of the Year card set until tomorrow.
As we approach Beltane in the northern hemisphere, the land feels rich with growth and vitality. On Saturday, we travelled to the brilliant Nottingham Pagan Market. On the journey, I was just mesmerised by the vivid green that has cloaked the land once more, and of course, the blossom too.
In today’s post I wanted to share with you an experience that changed my life and helped deepen my connection with the natural world. I will also be sharing some information about our very special, upcoming Wild Jewellery collection, so let’s dive in!
In 2018, I signed up to a forest bathing course, held in an ancient woodland on Dartmoor. Guided by pioneer Eco therapist Stefan Batorijs of Nature & Therapy we spent a long, autumnal weekend immersed in the healing power of nature. Drawing together two areas of life I had long been fascinated by; nature and wellbeing.
Forest Bathing
‘Forest bathing’ is a translation of the Japanese term ‘Shinrin-yoku’, referring to the practice of immersing ourselves in a forest or wild place. It has become an important part of preventative healthcare in Japan, and the benefits to health and wellbeing have been widely studied.Research has been able to demonstrate scientifically, that which we may feel instinctively, that being immersed in nature, is good for us.
Some of the benefits of spending time amongst the trees include increases to our immune function. Trees release natural antimicrobial compounds called phytoncides that protect the tree from pests and diseases. When we breathe those compounds in, they impact our own immune system by boosting the number of NK cells in our bodies. NK cells help us to fight infection, disease and even detect and control early signs of cancer. These benefits to the immune system were observed for up to 30 days after a visit to a woodland. Stress hormones, heart rate and blood pressure were all shown to decrease when we spend time around trees, whilst metabolism increased and sleep quality improved.
A Deeper Connection
During our forest bathing course, we were guided to slow down and engage our senses to notice things that we may otherwise overlook. I didn’t know it at the time, but this skill allowed me to deepen my connection to the world around me in a profound way. I began to listen, to notice, to observe and experience my surroundings more deeply. I was no longer just walking through a woodland but becoming a part of it, welcomed and held by the land around me.
I began to notice more about the trees I walked beside. The way in which the new leaf buds that open in spring actually grow at the end of summer when the trees have more energy. I noticed how little Birch trees could so often be found springing up in land that had recently been cleared, as if to reclaim it for the wild. I observed how Rowans claimed spots high on the top of hills, whilst Willows and Alders thrived whenever water was near. My walks and visits to wild places became more enriched and filled with meaning and discovery.
The Energy of Trees
These days I am usually found talking about a tree’s energy. Sometimes this word can feel a little ‘out there’ but to me, it is simply information that is shared when we open up to a connection with something. Just like how we come to know or feel a person over time, the same can be true of the wild world.
That brings me on to our latest collection of Wild Jewellery, that has been inspired by the recent call of the Birch tree, a wonderful tree guide for courage and new beginnings.
Inside a Birch burl
A few years ago, we came across a beautiful Birch tree, recently fallen in a storm. It had a small burl on its trunk. Burls can grow on trees for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is where the tree has been injured and healed, sometimes due to an interaction with fungi. Burls are prized in woodwork as they house the most fascinating, irregular grains and colours that are completely unique.
We created 5 wild pendants celebrating this beautiful wood. They will be in store on Beltane eve, Wednesday 30th April at 7pm. You can see a preview of the whole collection in the video below:
Me again! I love this time of year as the trees are unfurling their leaves and blossom. Tomorrow is the Spring Equinox or Ostara here in the UK, the point at which hours of light and dark come back in to a balance once more. After this point, the light continues to expand, encouraging growth across the land.
There is so much to notice as spring arrives, and today, I wanted to share some of my favourite trees to connect with during this season.
Tree Guides for Spring
Cherry blossom has to be one of the most beautiful markers of spring. Whole streets are transformed as the Cherry trees bloom and the buzz of pollinators return.
The blossom is revered all over the world, and it is a wonderful guide to bring us into the here and now, to appreciate this moment’s beauty.
Cherry energy & symbolism: Joy, Appreciation, Impermanence, Gratitude, Love.
The recognisable black buds of the Ash tree are fattening now. Ash energy is one of strength and direction, aligning us with the rising currents of spring.
Interestingly, they are one of the last trees to unfurl their leaves, which allows the beautiful spring plants that grow beneath them to absorb the sunlight first. They hold strong associations to the sun, producing wood that is incredibly strong and that burns very hot. Its Latin name means ‘firelight’, and even the grain reminds me of sun rays radiating out from the wood.
Ash energy & symbolism: Direction, Strength, Protection, Growth, Transformation.
Blackthorn has guided us through the dark months, and as winter wanes, her blossom is the first to open reminding us of the cyclic nature of life.
Blackthorn energy & symbology: Renewal, Boundaries, Determination, Cycles.
Alder trees thrive beside the water’s edge. Their soft wood becomes as strong as stone beneath the water. They are experts at transforming watery landscapes, making them more hospitable for other trees and wildlife too. Along with their deep connection with water, they are often associated with the fire element too, and can be seen ‘glowing’ in early Spring when their red catkins cover the tree. The tree’s connection with both elements can teach us about balancing opposites and becoming more comfortable and empowered to explore our emotional landscapes.
Alder energy & symbolism: Balance, Emotional exploration, Adaptability, Transformation.
I am so sorry to anyone who found they had a broken link to the shop in my previous emails. I have checked, checked and checked again this time so click away!
As we reach mid-December, I feel a sense of relief to know that we are almost at the shortest day of the year now, how are you holding up?
On Saturday, 21st December we reach the Winter Solstice, after which the light slowly begins to expand once again. Can you believe, that by the end of January, we will have an extra hour of daylight compared with today!
Yule Reflection card in store now
We have had a busy month making up your orders, and we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has shopped with us again this year. It really means the world to us, to still be here, creating gifts for you and your loved ones for another year.
Shop Update
If you are still thinking of shopping with us before Christmas, please do get your orders in by 7pm on SUNDAY 15th DECEMBER. Any orders placed after this time will be shipped out in the New Year. This is to ensure your UK order has plenty of time to reach you before Christmas, given the increased pressures on the postal system at this time.
We still have some lovely things in store if you are looking for a last minute gift. From tree pendants, to prints and boxsets, here is a taste of what is still available…
Moon Ritual KitLunar Calendars in 3 sizesA selection of handmade Moon pendantsFor Moon LoversTree energy printsTree energy pendantsFor Tree loversSeasonal Living box setWheel of the Year printFor Earth Lovers
Whilst this time of year can feel busy and full, we hope you are finding some cosy, slower moments amidst it all. Energy can be lower at this time of year so make sure to take a few extra moments to nurture yours this month. A cup of tea drunk slowly under a blanket. Getting into bed a little earlier to read a book, light some candles or sink into a hot bath. It need not be fancy, just something that allows you to take a deeper exhale after a long day.
The last Full Moon of the year will rise on Sunday 15th at around 3.20pm in the UK. Fingers are crossed for clear skies so that we can catch a glimpse at some point in the evening.
I wanted to leave you with a few of our favourite photos from December’s gone by as a reminder of the beauty that can be found on these cold Winter days. I hope you enjoy them and find some moments of peace this week,
I don’t know about you, but I can find myself feeling pretty restless at this time of year. The transition away from Winter can be a long one. The promise of Spring feels so sweet when it arrives. Those first warm rays on the skin and the sound of bird song lift my heart so much. And just as I am about to lean right in to the new season, Winter announces she isn’t quite done as she delivers one last blast…
I have noticed over the past few years that my mind can become restless at this time of year. My mood and energy feel as mixed as the weather. One foot planted amongst the hopeful wildflowers of Spring, the other hanging back in the heavy malaise of Winter’s end.
After a shaky few days, taking my morning cup of tea out in the garden this morning felt like an act of restoration. Walking barefoot across the lawn, moving from the shade into the sun I came to sit down in front of a small patch of Primroses. I noticed that the petals of most of the flowers were wilting now, nibbled (not by me) and turning brown in patches as they were reaching the end of their blooming period here in the UK.
It has been an interesting foraging year for us. I have found myself feeling incredibly drawn to collecting certain plants – wild rose early on in the year, Mugwort throughout the summer and wild oats as the summer progressed. There have also been other plants that despite their abundance and potential, for one reason or another we didn’t forage many/any this year – elderflower and rosehips stand out as two.
The wheel of the year is an ancient way of marking the changing energy of the Earth throughout the yearly cycle. The wheel consists of 8 seasonal celebrations or marker points, that fall every 6 – 8 weeks.
In-between each solar festival is a seasonal festival (or cross quarter point) connected with seasonal and agricultural changes. Imbolc marks the height of Winter where the first signs of Spring begin to appear, Beltane the height of Spring and birth of Summer, Lammas the height of Summer and birth of Autumn and Samhain the height of Autumn and birth of Winter.
The celebrations can be thought of as natural points throughout the year where we can stop and observe what is going on in the outer world as well as our inner worlds. A moment to reflect on how things currently are, how they have been over the last season and how we would like to move ahead into the new one.
My most precious insight from observing the wheel of the year is the element of change within it. Light and dark, growth and decay, beginnings and endings. In the modern world we are often expected to be as productive and efficient no matter the season. A striving towards a fixed state of happiness, vibrancy and certainty that isn’t present in the natural world, certainly not all year round.
Connecting with the energy and changes in the natural world, can help us to reflect on our own energy throughout the seasons which may naturally rise and fall. It can help us appreciate the change and flow of nature and learn to welcome and embrace these qualities in our own lives.
We have created 2 prints to celebrate the Wheel of the Year and a Seasonal Reflection card set aimed to support you in connecting with the energy of each festival, available now in our Etsy store.
Wild Fen 