Hi, I’m Jennifer.

I love to create connections, and to be connected to the things I’m doing in the world. I hope the ideas that I share will be interesting to others who are trying to do the same.

I’ve loved to craft since I was a kid; I know that hardly makes me unique. But there’s a common joke among crafters (with variations among gardeners, home improvers, organizers, and any other kinds of DIYers I’ve forgotten) that the hobbies cost more than the products created, that the vegetables cost more to grow than they might have been at the store.

So why do we persist? To me, the simple answer is “connection”. Humans love to feel things in their hands. And some of us can’t resist the call of doing it ourselves, just to see if we can. But it’s more than just that. Nothing is more grounding than feeling the thing in your hand, and with each day walking closer to where it started. First you learn to knit; then you experiment with dying wool. Next you may learn to spin. You may one day raise the sheep, or make friends with the person who does.

Living in a connected way is knowing how it’s done and developing skills, but moreover cultivating a deep respect for the true masters of any art we’ve just been dabblers in. It’s getting to know where things have come from. This is really at the heart of living slowly.