December Studio Update

Nesting, questing, and reinvesting.

Hello Hibernacolytes! I hope everyone’s been keeping cozy. We’re halfway through December and I am in the thick of it, spiritually and workwise. And I’m glad I decided to take a break from events and dedicate myself to the studio. There’s this energetic shift in winter that turns me into different animal - As the world gets darker and colder I become more nocturnal and introverted, overcome by the urge to nest. That’s how this studio got its name: Hibernacula is biological term which translates to “winter dwelling” – Literally the places where creatures hibernate.

I’ve been doing a metal restock and this meant a lot of trips to the casters to get my molds in order. Sounds boring but check out the mess I was dealing with back in the studio! These are the pink silicone molds that I cast my wax forms from. Over time, the silicone decays and the rigid mold becomes mushy and it becomes difficult to extract the wax from. Fortunately, I keep extra wax masters so I can cast replacement molds. I got sentimental and neglected to throw some retired molds away, and here is my punishment! Stacks of molds melted together into a sticky puddle of goo. What a nightmare. This fiasco caused some delays, but folks were understanding. It’s not always glamourous work! I might prune down my design catalogue in 2026, since I currently have nearly 200 molds to keep track of.

In other news, I’m investigating more affordable options for Hibernacula products, since the economy is what it is and the cost of metal is increasing dramatically (yikes.) I thought I’d give stickers a try - Stickers are one of my favorite fun impulse buys! There’s something so punk rock about slapping some art onto some random thing. It’s a fun way to add personality to otherwise mundane items and the activity just makes me smile. I designed full sheets with plenty of stickers for you to share and spread around, so you don’t need to be precious about them, and I chose three of my favorite subjects: Alchemical Animals, Raw Specimens, and Crystal Geometry. That’s 50+ unique designs! Now you can decorate your world with wonder and give any boring object that enchanted Hibernacula vibe, and all for the price of a fancy latte! They’re just $8 a sheet, or you can get all three sheets as a set for $20.

I also invested in fancy new business cards and swag for the holiday season! Your amulets arrive in our custom embossed boxes dressed up in all this extra finery. I designed a variety of cards all featuring my photography, so you’ll also be getting a collectable surprise. We’re living in challenging times and as a creative person it can be really difficult to stay focused and motivated, so I’m always finding new ways to sneak fun and joy and meaning into whatever I do. I challenge you to do the same! We’re all in this together.

Speaking of surprises – This month’s subscriber raffle winner is Melanie Meador- Congrats! You will receive the yellow treasure box: Some sunshine to brighten up December.

I’m sending out one of these treasure boxes with every update. If you’d like to participate, just reply with your name and your favorite color! I’ll be picking three extra winners in January, and I’ll also be announcing my 2026 event schedule.

I hope you have a blessed holiday season full of happy surprises, laughter, warmth and wonder. Much love,

-K.M.K and the Hibernacula Team