Born in Germany in 1942, Ingrid Jochimsen came to the United States in 1964. While caring for her young daughter at home, she looked to woodworking as a means of giving her creative urges an outlet and also maintaining contact with other adults. Her first projects were small wooden vikings, which soon gave way to small figurines. She began selling them as well as traditional wooden children's toys at in-house fairs. Word soon spread of the dolls that could be special-ordered to look like Santa, a Pilgrim, Redcoat, local high school graduates (complete with school colors and tassled mortarboard) or to represent any number of professions, and the fledgling business took off.

One of the first stores to formally carry her works was the Crafty Yankee in Lexington, Massachusetts. She continued to exhibit her work at a variety of local bazaars and craft fairs. Never one to stand still, she continued to refine her skills, turning to wooden baskets and boxes in the late 1980's and early 1990's. She has been a member of the Winchester Artists' Network since 1999, and has been active in the organization's activities. Her latest professional development has been learning to turn wood, creating vases, rolling pins and bowls out of elegant hardwoods.

With the advent of her boxes, she has been able to expand her range of woodworking skills. Some boxes are available with hand-carved intarsia, whereas others feature foreign coins or inlay work. Every box, however, is a fine piece of craftmanship, and Ingrid takes great care in finishing each box, so that it is not only a pleasure to behold, but also to touch.

Ingrid regularly exhibits her work at regional fairs, including the Christmas Fair at the Church of the Epiphany (Winchester, Mass.), the Jenks Center (Winchester, Mass.), Art in the Park (Winchester, Mass.). She is a former member of the co-op "Art in the Heart" (Maynard, Mass.).

When she is not busy in her basement workshop, Ingrid enjoys reading, attending local theater productions, walking, and travelling. She is a graduate of Northeastern University.