glimmers and a letter from love

a list of enchanting things for January

Hello my darling,

Happy New Year! I write this from a quiet corner of my kitchen as I watch dancing dragons of steam from the pot on the stove. As the steam curls and slithers, I exhale slowly, reminding myself of the importance of breathing deeply. Let this be a reminder to you as well. Just breathe.

As this is my first newsletter of 2025, and as there are dozens of new kindred spirits reading my Ink-Stained Compass newsletter, this seems like an appropriate time to introduce (or reintroduce) myself and share a bit about what you can expect from these weekly newsletters.

So, without further ado…

Hi! It’s me. I like braiding my hair and trying styles from bygone days….

My name is Caitlin Gemmell, though some of you call me by my nickname of Cinders, and I am a published poet who lives with my neurodivergent (soon to be teenage) son tucked into a woodland community in upstate New York. I adore the sea, fairy tales, British tv shows, Regency era anything, communing with wildlife, cats, singing, wild foraging, potion making, spell casting, dream weaving, gifting beauty and magic to loved ones, reading, writing, gardening, walking in nature, exploring antique shops and book shops, and having mystery-of-life kinds of conversations with dear friends.

Once upon a time I lived in a tiny village in England (where my family is from). That life seems like a distant fairy tale, so vastly different from my current reality.

I release one newsletter per week, and there is always at least one per month that is completely free from the paywall. Typically, even the ones that are for paid subscribers contain snippets that are shared freely. Muse Monday features are on hold for now, but you can always read past ones here.

All subscribers can expect…

Thoughts on seasonal, slow, magical living

Poetry (including news of poems accepted for publication)

Tips on living a life of enchanted simplicity

Creative inspirations

Paid subscribers can expect…

The occasional handwritten letter if you choose to share your mailing address with me (just send me an email to caitgemmell@gmail.com and let me know you’d like to receive snail mail, and I’ll add you to the address book)

Bespoke poem

Poetry I am working on

More personal journal entries

Journal pages and prompts

Discount on Reiki, Tarot, and Course offerings (I share these with you periodically)

Access to the kindred spirit chat here on Substack

This year I have a new offering. I am sharing chapters from my book in progress with my paid subscribers. This book is tentatively titled Enchanted Simplicity: A Year of Poetic Living. You can expect an excerpt from the first chapter later this month.

Normally, once a month I share glimmers from the preceding month with you but as this is the start of a new year, I thought it would be fun to share a list of glimmers from 2024. I revisited some old newsletters and flipped through the pages of my journal to compile a list of some of my favorite glimmers but quickly became overwhelmed. How could I possibly choose a handful of magical moments to represent my favorite glimmers from an entire year? There were too many to choose from. So, instead, here are some suggestions for how you can create little moments of magic in your life. Think of it as my wish list for January.

A List of Enchanting Things for January

January is a strange month. Though the days are getting longer here in the northern hemisphere, it feels like the darkest part of winter in part because the magic of Yuletide has dwindled and the first hint of spring (that often arrives in February with the crocuses) has yet to appear. January just sits there, quiet and lonely, waiting for spring. The magic of winter has passed, and spring’s enchantment has not yet begun.

Photo by Pedro Netto on Unsplash

So, how can we make January magical?

1. Find a new recipe, especially one that utilizes in season foods. Perhaps this recipe could be one from your ancestral heritage. Maybe it’s one you saw on your favorite tv show or film. It could even be one mentioned in a book. Enjoy the entire process of gathering ingredients, preparing them, then transforming them into a meal you get to enjoy! Set your table. Light a candle. Appreciate your delicious home cooked meal. Cooking is magic.

2. Choose three new books to read. Challenge yourself by choosing one nonfiction book, one new release (or new to you) that is fiction, and one that is either a reread or a classic. Anytime you find yourself reaching for your phone, put it aside and pick up one of your books instead. See how much you can read by the end of the month.

3. Go on a wonder walk. I’ve mentioned this before. A wonder walk is a mindfulness activity in which you walk with the intention of noticing beautiful and interesting things as you walk. Take time to inspect the underside of leaves. Play a game in which you attempt to spot something from each color of the rainbow. Notice how many scents you can decipher. How many sounds do you hear?

4. Since it is still winter here in the northern hemisphere, make a delicious hot drink and curl up with a blanket (or a cat) as you watch a comfort film or tv show. If you are in the southern hemisphere, change this to a favorite iced drink that you sip outside under the shade of a tree as you journal.

5. Buy a bouquet of flowers (or a potted plant) and enjoy arranging it in your home. Paperwhites should be available right around now in the US. This is a lovely guide on growing paperwhites indoors.

6. Write thank you cards to all the lovely people in your life who shared gifts with you over the holidays or helped you in some way.

7. Start a new journal. Though our new year falls at the weirdest time (how can a year start in the middle of winter? Makes zero sense.) it is still a time of new beginnings because our calendar tells us it is the start. With this in mind, it’s a great time to begin a new journal and describe your wishes and dreams for the year ahead.

8. Learn a new craft or creative activity. I returned to embroidery after a fallow period and am greatly enjoying working on new art as I listen to classical music.

9. Create a January playlist. If January were a series of songs, which songs would it be?

10. Do something kind for a stranger. Recently, I shared how I like to tie fancy ribbons to books, tuck a handwritten note between the pages, and donate them to a little free library. This is a perfect way of decluttering and at the same time spreading joy.

11. Embrace the winter theme and bring in pine branches, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, and make a beautiful wreath or star decorations to hang in your window. Place crystal prisms between these for a magical, winter wonderland effect.

Letter from Love

Before I share my Letter from Love (thank you

Elizabeth Gilbert

for inspiring me to make this a part of my routine), I want to remind you that I have several offerings listed on paperbell. I meant to raise the prices after the holidays as nearly everything was heavily discounted throughout the month of December, but I haven’t managed to change the prices yet. If you want to take advantage of this and book something while it is still 50% off, please do so soon. The sale will likely end by the end of January. As a reminder, all paid subscribers will be granted access to the childhood stories module of Unearthing Your Story later this month.

Shop or book a reiki session/tarot reading/personal growth course right here.

Much love,

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