Hi Reader,

This year both of my kids are in the same school for the first time. My days have more space than they've had in a long time, but I'm still finding my footing, still working out what my days and routines look like, and reflecting on the big question: what now? It's a challenging question to answer, and I'm doing my best not to rush into a hundred new projects before truly reflecting on whether or not I really want to be doing those projects... but through it all the same themes continue to emerge and my values remain firmly rooted in creativity, movement, and literacy. I'm being tender with myself as I discover what this next phase holds and I'm excited to share some of what I've been up to in the crafting, dancing, and reading parts of my life. Enjoy!

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​Craft

The trouble with slow fashion is that... it's slow. 100% worth it, but slow. At the beginning of the summer I started knitting myself a tee and a few weeks ago, when I finished it, I was worried I missed the boat on wearing it until next year.

Lucky me! It turns out a wool tee is the perfect wardrobe piece for late summer/early fall and I've been wearing the heck out of it. It helps that it pairs perfectly with my new favorite earrings, these perfectly pink book stacks.

To be honest the book stacks pair with most of my wardrobe. I've been getting tons of compliments on them.

I think my favorite moment was at the library - someone said they liked my earrings and I said "Thanks! I made them." and they said ".... thats... interesting." Do you think it was the shock of someone making what they were wearing that left them at a loss for how to respond?

There's 2 pairs available in my shop now if you're wardrobe needs an accessory that subtly tells everyone "I'd rather be reading".

Dance

4 years ago, after seeing a RE|dance performance I wrote:

I love that every time I see a RE|dance piece it feels like I'm being invited into a newly created world with its own set of rules, culture, and idiosyncrasies.
The other thing I love about the work is the way it touches deeply on what it means to be human. Sadness, humor, joy, grief, wonder... the roller coaster of human experience is intrinsic in the movement, language, and music choices of every piece I've seen. The timing has also lined up for me to be in the audience during some really emotional times and I remember leaving those performances feeling a little lighter, a little more free from the depths of my own journey. I don't think I've ever left a show without having danced along in my seat, dreaming of becoming a RE|dancer when I grow up. (I wonder if that's just me, or if it happens to everyone lol).

A few years and several performances later, this still rings true and is a huge part of why I continue to serve on the RE|dance board of directors.

In the spring RE|dance will take a long deserved next step as a company, presenting 2 new works at The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago. I cannot wait for this performance, but it cannot happen without help.

If you've ever wondered how dance gets made, a bit part of the answer these days is: from individual donors.

RE|dance group just launched their fundraising campaign for this show. If dance is important to you, if you want dance artists to continue to make and perform dances, I invite you to contribute to the company and become a part of the community that brings these new works from the studio to the stage.

Read

I just finished my last book from my (self imposed) summer reading challenge and I'm soooo ready to dive in to my (self imposed) fall reading challenge.

I had a really BIG summer for reading - finishing a record 21 books! - but now I'm finding myself slipping into scrolling over reading again. We definitely live in an age of distractions and I'd love to know how you keep yourself focused and engaged in your reading practice when it's just so easy to reach for the phone.

Repeat​
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The next Adaptive Dance class is coming up on October 18th.

We'll definitely be doing some activities from my Halloween Hop ebook and enjoying dancing together.

I'd deeply appreciate it if you could help spread the word and pass the info along to anyone you know who might be interested in joining!

Yours in creativity,

Jen ​
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