Handmade Happiness: Finding Meaning in the Art of Making

Planning a new year doesn’t have to mean starting over from scratch. In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Thomas and Jessica Clark from The Lark Life share a gentler, more sustainable approach to planning a year of intentional living, by choosing guiding themes and rhythms instead of rigid resolutions.

This conversation is about honoring the life you’re already living, including the messy parts, and building forward with clarity and care rather than pressure and perfection.

✨ In this episode, we talk about:
Why traditional New Year’s resolutions often lead to burnout
What it...

As the year comes to a close, this episode of Handmade Happiness invites you to slow down and reflect—without pressure, resolutions, or hustle. Instead of rushing into the new year, we’re talking about how to end the year well through gentle evaluation, intentional reset, and rhythms of rest that support a more peaceful life.

In this episode, Thomas and Jessica Clark from The Lark Life share a calm, thoughtful approach to year-end reflection rooted in intentional living, seasonal rhythms, and grace. This conversation is for anyone feeling tired, overwhelmed, or unsure how...

Are you tired of trying to do everything and feeling stretched thin? In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Thomas and Jessica Clark share a gentle, practical introduction to Essentialism—a life-changing approach to intentional living inspired by Greg McKeown’s book. Learn how to simplify your days, eliminate the non-essential, and make space for the things that truly matter in your home, family, and homestead.

✨ In this episode, we’ll talk about:
• The core idea behind Essentialism: Less, but better
• How to identify what matters most in your season
• Letting go of overwhelm, pressure, and perfection...

Learn how to start baking delicious homemade bread from scratch—without spending all day in the kitchen! In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Jessica Clark from The Lark Life shares why fresh bread is worth making, how she started with simple biscuits, and the differences between yeast breads, flatbreads, and sourdough. We also dive into the benefits of fresh-milled flour and easy ways to fit baking into real-life family routines.

✨ What you’ll learn:
• Why homemade bread is healthier + more affordable
• The easiest types of bread for beginners
• How to start baking with confidence
• Tips f...

Traditions are the threads that stitch a family together—often in small, simple, everyday ways.
In this heartwarming episode of Handmade Happiness, Thomas and Jessica explores how traditions—whether passed down for generations or created brand new—shape family culture, strengthen connection, and give kids a deep sense of belonging.

We dive into:
 ✨ Why traditions matter and how they anchor families
 ✨ The beauty of simple, handmade, homestead-inspired traditions
 ✨ How to create rhythms that reflect your family’s values
 ✨ Seasonal traditions that ground your year
 ✨ Childhood rituals that become lifelong memories
 ✨ Letting...

It’s seed catalog season—one of the coziest moments of the homestead year.
In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Thomas and Jessica invite you to pull up a chair, pour a warm mug of tea, and flip through those colorful winter seed catalogs as we dream up next year’s garden together.

We chat through:
 🌿 How we choose seeds for productivity, flavor, and family favorites
 🌿 Old standbys we grow every single year (and why!)
 🌿 Exciting new varieties we’re hoping to try
 🌿 How winter garden planning builds connection, intention, and seasonal rhythms Duration: 00:32:02

Discover the true art of hospitality in this heartwarming episode of Handmade Happiness. Thomas and Jessica shares how simple, meaningful rhythms—handmade touches, warm food, and genuine attention—create a welcoming space where people feel loved and seen.

In this episode, we explore:
 ✨ The difference between entertaining and true hospitality
 ✨ Handmade traditions that build connection
 ✨ Simple ways to prepare your home and heart for guests
 ✨ How to invite people in, even when life feels messy
 ✨ The role community plays in a slower, intentional lifestyle
 ✨ Why hospitality matters now...

In this episode, we talk about why it’s time to normalize handmade gift giving again—gifts crafted with intention, creativity, and heart. From home-baked treats and herbal skincare to quilts, crafts, and simple handmade treasures, we explore how homemade gifts offer deeper meaning, reduce overwhelm, and bring joy to both the giver and receiver.

We’ll also discuss the pressure of commercial gift-giving, why handmade gifts feel more personal, and how creating with your hands can shift the entire holiday season toward connection and simplicity. Whether you’re a seasoned maker or just starting out, this episode...

Thinking about adding poultry to your homestead? We share our experience with chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys to help you build the flock that fits your life.

Find Turkey Recipes at https://thelarklife.com/blog/the-perfect-roast-turkey-plus-3-delicious-leftover-turkey-recipes

Sign up for the Quilted Slipper Sew Along https://thelarklife.com/shop/p/quilted-slipper-sew-along

12 Days of Christmas Gift Box https://thelarklife.com/shop/p/12-days-of-christmas-advent-box-a-handmade-celebration-of-simple-joys

✨ Thanks for tuning in to Handmade Happiness! ✨
If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations about slowing down, creating with your hands, a...

In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Jessica Clark from The Lark Life dives into the wonderful world of herbs—how to grow them, use them, and preserve them for year-round goodness. Learn which herbs are easiest to grow at home, their healing benefits, and how to dry, freeze, or infuse them for cooking, teas, and natural skincare. We’ll also cover simple tips for saving seeds, creating your own herbal pantry, and living more intentionally with what you grow.

Perfect for beginners and seasoned homesteaders alike, this episode will inspire you to start your own herb garden and...

Homesteading is more than growing food—it’s about growing together. In this episode of Handmade Happiness, Thomas and Jessica share how to make homesteading a family affair by involving kids in meaningful ways. Discover practical tips and ways to share values and find joy in working side by side. Whether you live on acres or in the suburbs, you’ll learn simple ways to build connection, character, and purpose through everyday life.

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If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations about slowing down...

Discover the heartwarming stories behind the quilts, the inspiration of makers from around the world, and the beauty of how fabric and thread can hold memory, meaning, and connection. Whether you’re a seasoned quilter or simply love handmade creativity, this episode will remind you why every stitch tells a story.

✨ Thanks for tuning in to Handmade Happiness! ✨
If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations about slowing down, creating with your hands, and living more intentionally.

💌 Stay connected:

In this episode of Handmade Happiness, we explore how large-scale commercial farming practices have shaped modern agriculture—and why homesteads don’t need to follow the same model. From soil health to sustainability to the joy of growing food on a smaller, human scale, we’ll talk about practical ways to break free from “big ag” thinking and embrace methods that fit our families, land, and values.

Book Recommendation: What Your Food Ate 

Beekeeper Adam Martin 

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✨ Thanks for tuning in to Handmade Happiness! ✨
If you enjoyed today’s episode, please...

In this episode of Handmade Happiness, we dive into the connection between the food we eat and the way it’s grown. I’ll share some of the ways we’ve been preserving apples from our homestead, our first experience smoking ducks, and a few reflections from the book What Your Food Ate. We’ll also talk about our long-term vision for building healthy soil on our five acres here in Missouri—and why the choices we make in our gardens and kitchens matter for both body and soul.

Join me for a conversation about nourishing food, thoughtful...

Welcome to the very first episode of Handmade Happiness! I’m Jessica Clark from The Lark Life, and I’m so glad you’re here. In this episode, I’ll share a bit about who I am, our family’s recent move from South Texas to a five-acre homestead in Missouri, and why I believe slowing down and creating with your hands can bring so much joy and meaning to everyday life.

Together, we’ll talk about the heart behind this podcast—rediscovering old-fashioned skills, building traditions, and learning as we go. You don’t need a big property or...

What if joy can be found in the simplest of things? …in creating something with your own hands, in reconnecting with skills that once were common place but have been lost over time, and in learning to slow down and be fully present in moments we often overlook?

Welcome to Handmade Happiness, a podcast where we pause and reconnect with the traditional skills that nourish the body, mind, and soul. We’re on a mission to create meaning and joy through simple projects and share how these skills have transformed not just our home, but also the way...