My Hands Have Touched…
2025 Holiday Season recap/nocap my hands have touched approximately 22,000 glass christmas ornaments of every shade, I wrapped 2,316 and 1/2 gift boxes over the course of 18 weeks. I coiled and threw down silk ribbon, gaberdine, twine, red and white cotton string, satin ribbon, organza, and picot edge ribbon. I poured dixie cups of snow over sets, over products, and over myself. I started a fight with some double sided glitter tape. Rude, totally lost. I filled entire tables with fake snow. Most brands had boxes of snow from the previous year…and I was grateful as buying that yearly was…ugh. I worked with puppies, and kittens, and a round rabbit named Uncle Broccoli.
Summer moved forward and I spent a number of weekends in the sky, back and forth coast to coast. Lots of Airports, and lots of people watching again.There was ALOT of holiday joy reconnecting with Crews…in the heat of August. Merry Summer & Happy Christmas.
I always wish that I took more photographs in Airports. I see so many good and worthy details. Chrome, arches, art, people moving. I could do better. I’m usually so in the moments and or sprinting gate to gate, that I only mentally record the tiny things. Some are a blur, but I even like those. Less perfection, more soft edges please.
In Philly, I got to incorporate some local plants and flowers, black eyed susans, purple cone flowers and butterfly weed. Wild blue phlox by the buckets. In North Carolina, I found some cool bee balm. In Brooklyn it was marsh marigolds, joe-pye weed and a wild amount of freckled violas. So cute.
In New Orleans, I got to eat at Dat Kitchen again. I told you I was obsessed. Again, it’s literally the best fried chicken you have ever had, on top of the best mac and cheese you have ever had, and it’s topped with a creamy crawfish sauce that’s…you guessed it…the best you’ve ever had!!!!! Come on! I don’t stand a chance. One meal, is really four meals. “Dat Chicken” is a hell yes and a hail Mary.
In Nashville, I went back to The Cash Museum after work. I got a couple little souvenirs to share with teams back in LA and SF. I got to touch and work with a guys guitar collection paired with softgoods and accessories for a local brand. I got to touch a couple Martin DreadNoughts. IYKYK. As well as, a Gibson J-45. People are so cool and well made is ALWAYS well made.
In LA, lot’s of time with my favorite crew there. The most solid, fun, funny, kind, caring, and humble peeps of all time. I bask in that shit. Ken, Tati, JB, Marcus, Akasha, Nabil, Brittney, and Manon… super lucky. I house the back bone of the operation is a Merch Team that is stunning, Sarah, Noah and Allie are tops, diamonds, and we can do nothing without them! As a crew we get pushed and pulled, and run the gamut but all guided by the on -god loving best production team ever… headed up by Jillian and Lyndsi. THANK YOU ALL.
Lots of love, ANA
