39 Comments
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Melanie Glover's avatar

I’ve only just read this Beth. I signed up in November without reading this beautiful story. I saved my parcel for Christmas Day and it was such a joy to open, I felt it had been made with great love and attention, it gave me goosebumps, I am so delighted to be on lots more journeys with you this year. Ink and Flame starts when I’m on Lundy, my favourite writing hideaway. It will be perfect ☺️

Igniting Soul Whispers's avatar

Thank you to both Beth and the children for curating January Joy, which arrived at my mailbox at the perfect time! It was so lovely to feel the care and magic that went into putting it all together. I'm looking forward to writing with you again this year.

Anne Briscoe's avatar

I love to think that the future generation will create nurturing communities focussing on people before profit - wouldn’t it be wonderful if AI actually enabled this over the ever increasing economic divide. Autumn has been hard this year so registering for a course of yours to take next year has felt healing and your gentle descriptions of life with your children remind me of the time when mine were young and the excitement of anticipation we used to share.

A surprise stationery package says it all really - to suggest the contents would miss the point for me-I cant wait to see what is in mine!

B Philippe's avatar

Aah, lovely article! 😊

Jay's avatar

Yay, I’m in. I have finally plucked up the courage to make the commitment to myself, all signed up for the life & Time course. can’t wait..

Vicki Hope-Robinson's avatar

Oh, this made me smile and feel warm in my heart, close to the end Beth, when you said about our children creating community, being cafe owners!! My 26 year old son has had real struggles creating stability and sustainability in a work path - not fitting the employee mould....this summer he created a beachside coffee van at Fistral in Newquay, and his real longing is to have a Community workspace and cafe!! I've never really understood it on a heart level, until I read your story of the father and daughter, and what followed in your thinking. Thank you!! I have a big Proud Mum smile now 😘😘

Laura Lloyd's avatar

This is the second day this week that’s given me Christmas Eve-like tingles. The day that I purchased the course and spent the rest of that evening reading about it again, and reading this piece and anticipating such a delicate package filled with love arriving at my door💖💙

Christine Dietz's avatar

This was so lovely to read and it's so wonderful how involved your daughters are in the process. The gift already felt special, but now even more so! Knowing how much care and thought you and your family put into selecting each item... I can't wait ❤️

I love stationary! When I recently moved apartments, I didn't have many clothes or furniture to carry. Instead, it was my boxes full of notebooks, some only half started, some full of travel memories, some full of poetry and thoughts. I will keep the Japanese notebook for Life+Time, and I feel like buying a new diary for 2026 asap, so I can put in the dates for the course!

Laura Lloyd's avatar

I am going to save the Japanese notebook for Life+Time too, it will act as a physical reminder of the course until it begins!

Leo's Pages's avatar

I love this. I work different things, but one of them is being a speech therapist in a primary school. What I love in working with kids is that they very often assume I don’t have a work, since I have time to play with them.

And I looooove alll the stationery things. I’m really addicted. I especially love really good pens, nice fine liners, good quality paper notebooks or blank postcards that I can customise myself… I love doing that for gifts too.

Laura Lloyd's avatar

How wonderful that they see you that way. I also couldn’t pass by your comment without sharing your appreciation of a fine liner (especially black)

Rachel BB's avatar

Ah, wow Beth, what a lovely way to get them involved. How exciting for those of us joining the course! You had me at stationery 😊 And when it’s sprinkled with the magic of your children it makes it even more lovely. ❤️ I am so excited. 😆

Jude's avatar

Oh , I loved reading this. Beautiful family involvement. Xx

Miranda R Waterton's avatar

I shall overlook your exploitation of child labour here and say that marketing-wise you have really played a blinder. Anyone with a soul would want to be part of this delightful world of family activity.

My ideal stationary package would definitely involve stickers (but nothing too kawaii) and a beatiful postcard or bookplate. There is a fantastic shop in Oxford (Scriptum) that would literally deliver the goods, in exquisite packaging.

Create Harmony with Anne's avatar

This is so lovely and heart warming, what wonderful warm evenings together spreading some sunshine to others.

Beth Kempton's avatar

It has been a treasured time for sure!

Beth Kephart's avatar

how much do I, the other Beth who loves paper, love this??????? Cannot count the ways.

Beth Kempton's avatar

Today I had hummus and a giant round cracker for lunch. The cracker came wrapped in some beautiful wax paper with Spanish writing on it. I smoothed it out, wiped it, and stuck it in my journal. Mr K thinks I am weird whereas I think you’d understand 💕

Miranda R Waterton's avatar

Do you loan out your husband to people who need emotional support at the holiday season?

Beth Kephart's avatar

I've got a Keeper for just that purpose. xoxoxo

Darcy MacPherson's avatar

Beth

What a wonderful email to read on the gray day. We will have several days of rain. Thank you for your thoughts and the girls.