diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0c2e49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "crafted-emacs"]
+	path = crafted-emacs
+	url = https://github.com/SystemCrafters/crafted-emacs.git
diff --git a/README.org b/README.org
index 4383ed7..c8c89e0 100644
--- a/README.org
+++ b/README.org
@@ -4,12 +4,10 @@ A new start in 2023, initial bootstrap with ~crafted-emacs~.
 
 ** Early setup
 
-1. clone crafted emacs to =~/src/crafted-emacs= 
+1. =git submodule update --init --recursive=
 2. create the directory links
    #+begin_src bash
      mkdir ~/.config/crafted-emacs-configdir
      ln -s ~/.config/crafted-emacs-configdir/ ~/.config/emacs
-     cp ~/src/crafted-emacs/examples/early-init-example.el ~/.config/emacs/early-init.el 
-     cp ~/src/crafted-emacs/examples/init-example.el ~/.config/emacs/init.el
    #+end_src
 3. adjust ~user-emacs-directory~ and ~crafted-emacs-home~ accordingly
diff --git a/TODO.org b/TODO.org
index 8336740..09c67d1 100644
--- a/TODO.org
+++ b/TODO.org
@@ -11,8 +11,13 @@ currently every =fschl-module.org= file contains it's own
 solution, e.g. set it up to auto-tangle all .org files within/below
 =user-emacs-directory=
 
-*** TODO use guix-packages
+*** HOLD use guix-packages
 
+- State "HOLD"       from "TODO"       [2024-02-21 Wed 17:19] \\
+  would make it impossible to use the config on windows.
+  windows compatiblity is the only reason to keep this separate from my =guix home= config
+*** TODO refactor to use crafted-emacs as git-submodule
+*** TODO attempt windows-compatibility for work
 ** Missing Features
 
 *** TODO IDE
@@ -72,5 +77,5 @@ e.g. HN, golem, fefe, tagesschau
 ** LaTeX setup
 
 *** DONE make letters export work
-
+*** TODO make letters export work in guix-home config
 *** TODO make export for other texbased documents work
diff --git a/crafted-emacs b/crafted-emacs
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..bc094c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crafted-emacs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit bc094c618afcc70940d852812223aa7c42e59692
diff --git a/custom.el b/custom.el
index 8a41518..0a22e0c 100644
--- a/custom.el
+++ b/custom.el
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@
  '(evil-want-C-i-jump nil)
  '(evil-want-integration t)
  '(evil-want-keybinding nil)
- '(fancy-splash-image "/home/fschl/src/crafted-emacs/system-crafters-logo.png")
+ '(fancy-splash-image
+   "/home/fschl/.config/crafted-emacs-configdir/crafted-emacs/system-crafters-logo.png")
  '(fast-but-imprecise-scrolling t)
  '(global-auto-revert-non-file-buffers t)
  '(ibuffer-movement-cycle nil)
diff --git a/early-init.el b/early-init.el
index b3c0777..4699e96 100644
--- a/early-init.el
+++ b/early-init.el
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(load "~/src/crafted-emacs/modules/crafted-early-init-config")
+(load "~/.config/crafted-emacs-configdir/crafted-emacs/modules/crafted-early-init-config")
diff --git a/init.el b/init.el
index 2539427..200c9d4 100644
--- a/init.el
+++ b/init.el
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ;; configuration, DO NOT edit this .el-file, edit .org, instead.
 
 (setq user-emacs-directory "~/.config/crafted-emacs-configdir/")
-(setq crafted-emacs-home "~/src/crafted-emacs/")
+(setq crafted-emacs-home (expand-file-name "crafted-emacs/" user-emacs-directory))
 (setq custom-file (expand-file-name "custom.el" user-emacs-directory))
 (when (and custom-file
            (file-exists-p custom-file))
diff --git a/init.org b/init.org
index 052cc74..4722f10 100644
--- a/init.org
+++ b/init.org
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   ;; configuration, DO NOT edit this .el-file, edit .org, instead.
 
   (setq user-emacs-directory "~/.config/crafted-emacs-configdir/")
-  (setq crafted-emacs-home "~/src/crafted-emacs/")
+  (setq crafted-emacs-home (expand-file-name "crafted-emacs/" user-emacs-directory))
   (setq custom-file (expand-file-name "custom.el" user-emacs-directory))
   (when (and custom-file
              (file-exists-p custom-file))