Current Issue
Laura Demuth: A Beautifully Woven Life
Decorah - and Winter Inspire(d) cover – artist Laura Demuth shares her meandering journey through weaving and life.
Decorah - and Winter Inspire(d) cover – artist Laura Demuth shares her meandering journey through weaving and life.
Decorate your home with hearts and love this winter with this simple Paper Heart Wreath project. Step-by-step instructions here!
Winter 2024-25 Inspire(d) We’re all in this together. And despite all our differences – or perhaps in celebration of them – I’d like to remind…
Decorah's annual Wellness Weekend is in November. We’ve put together a “Wellness Weekend Toolkit” to help you get ready!
It is wild to think it's been 17 years of Inspire(d) already! Here’s a look back on this “experiment in positive news” from past to present.
Caring…for barns, flowering plants, and, most importantly, people, has been the mission and passion of longtime Decorah resident Marlene Fenstermann. Her husband Duane talked her…
Laree Schouweiler is the kind of person who manages to turn strangers into friends within one conversation. But after she moved to Decorah from the…
Each October, as daytime temperatures dip and leaves slowly shift toward red and gold, Erin Ryan packs up the car for a day trip. But…
Roxie Nichols shares what inspiration means to her to the new Inspire(d) column, Future Focused, helping to give the next generation a voice.
Mental health counselor Olivia Lynn Schnur walks us through tips for finding hope and remembering our why.
In honor of our 17th birthday, here are 17 ways to foster resilience... so we can all keep on keeping on, working toward a better world.
Paul Reardon's Old Fashioned Gravel ride is bringing people to this gorgeous area to visit, enjoy, and ride with some awesome people.
A main street barbershop is so much more than a place to get a haircut. Dave Dudek, a barber who’s been cutting hair in his hometown…
Decorah music educators Nicole and Matt Cody see firsthand how music can act like a glue, binding a community together in harmony – both figurative…
Here at Inspire(d) HQ, we value positive news. Friends, family, neighbors who do good things. Ideas that make us think. Optimism. We believe that people are, as a whole, good, and that tiny changes can turn into big, world changes.
Summer is an amazing time for a road trip – big or small – in our region, and what better than a day of digging…
In the heart of Ferryville, Wisconsin, where the rolling hills of the Driftless embrace the mighty Mississippi, sits ændre arthouse.
At Red Oak Outdoor School, learning on the move is the norm and you can find Ida Rotto teaching kids how to slow to the speed of nature.
As the sun covers itself with a starry blanket, a fluttering frenzy unfolds. Moths, evening aviators, emerge to navigate your yard.
Kindness is free! Share it with others this summer as you head out on adventures in the Driftless Region and beyond.
As we prep for the summer season, there's one emotion that can increase our capacity for connection: compassion, including self-compassion.
It had been 18 years since I traveled off this continent. But in April 2023, we reset that ticker with a Family Trip to Greece!
For our Paper Project for the Winter 2023-24 Inspire(d), we put together templates for some DIY Affirmation Cards!
When words fail, what can take their place? For the Postville Community School District, the answer is therapy dogs.
In 1984, as parachute pants landed in clothing outlets and floppy discs took the then nascent computer world by storm, the late, great Harvard biologist Dr. Edward Wilson popularized a term that recalibrated our relationship with the natural world: biophilia.
Inspiration is a main missions of Inspire(d) Magazine. But sometimes it feels impossible. To help, here are 16 tips for finding inspiration.
For Elkader painter and photographer Jillian Webb Herrmann, the prairie of Wold Farm symbolizes new life and the possibility of connection.
Sometimes words get thrown around so often in the mental health and wellness space that they start to lose their meaning. We’ve heard the various benefits of mindfulness and living in the present. And while the over-saturation of these ideas can lead to an in-one-ear-out-the-other effect, it does not diminish their effectiveness.
There’s not much of a sibling rivalry for sisters Azia Thelemann and Dani Peterslie, owners of Drift Mercantile in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Gabi Masek of Wildcrafted Acupuncture & Herbs in Decorah, Iowa, runs a business that makes her patients and her own health a top priority.
At Driftless Curiosity, based in Viola, Wisconsin, hands-on workshops help individuals cultivate new interests.
Let's leave the leaves. They may be nature’s finest creation. Conspicuous, abundant, profoundly productive, leaves make life possible.
Fall leaves + Thanksgiving make this a truly perfect time for a Gratitude Garland - check out this easy paper project, and make yours today!
The Decorah Community Prairie - a wonderful place for walking and enjoying the seasons – celebrates it's 20th anniversary in 2021.
When Michelle Stielen founded Moxi Skates, she wanted to create a new style of roller skates. She looked to Riedell Skates to get it done.
John Peterson of Ferndale Market in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, shares the history of their family business, and its goals into the future.
Utilize these ideas for community care — ranging from small acts of kindness to something larger like volunteering your time or skillset.
Hike to the Driftless Area's picturesque peaks and lookouts or adventure to the parks and trails that will give you the best views of the surrounding area.
Decorate your home with hearts and love this winter with this simple Paper Heart Wreath project. Step-by-step instructions here!
Make these cute fill-in thank you cards to leave on your co-worker's desk, in your kid's lunch, or even at each place setting at Thanksgiving!
Got an old atlas laying around? Make these adorable road map lanterns for a fun adventure-inspired night outside. Cheers to summer!
Make your own Giant Paper Strawberry Box with this fun and easy DIY tutorial. They are perfect for May Day or Favor Boxes!
For our Paper Project for the Winter 2023-24 Inspire(d), we put together templates for some DIY Affirmation Cards!
Happy birthday to Inspire(d) Magazine! Make your very own birthday hat + paper pom poms with this easy tutorial!
Get silly – and have some fun – with these super easy DIY gnome photo props. Get your supplies together. You’ll need:• Gnome hat &…
Starting seeds is a favorite spring activity around here! Make your own paper seed starter boxes for your baby plants with this fun DIY.
Manifest your Big Dream Energy by making a Dream Board! Download our Dream Board prompts and get creating!
Make these super fun and easy leaf crowns for your Autumnal Equinox party, or just for fun (because we all deserve to wear crowns)!
Lauren Bonney designed this coloring page for the Summer 2022 Inspire(d). Download and print, and find a little zen!
What better paper project for a “Wrapping Up” magazine theme than a DIY Paper Gift Bow?! It’s a lovely present-topper for holidays, birthdays, or any…
Fall leaves + Thanksgiving make this a truly perfect time for a Gratitude Garland - check out this easy paper project, and make yours today!
This cross stitch gnome card is a fun, easy way to try cross stitching. When you’re done, send it in the mail to brighten someone’s day!
Get ready to cheer yourself and others on with these DIY mini megaphones! They are easy and super cute! You've got this, friends!
Looking for a gift for mom for Mother’s Day? Or dad for Father’s Day? Or anyone special for any special day? We’ve got the perfect thing: Make your own mini-magazine! It's the sweetest little gift.
Looking for something fun to make for Mother's Day, May Day, or any old day? Try making these pop-up paper flower cards! They are really cute and easy!
Make these fun Paper Fortune Cookies for anyone you know who needs a little pick-me-up...or just to say you're thinking of them!
For this falls' Paper Project, Roxie shows you how to fold paper boats... and maybe, like her, you'll make nearly 100 of them!
One of fun parts of this paper project is that you get to forage for the perfect sticks first, then put the super cute heart mobile together next.
Looking for a fun way to celebrate Earth Day (April 22) and look forward to spring? Make these adorable earth paper seed hearts! Supplies: –…
Dark days of winter, beware! Brighten up those long nights of reading with a little sunshine tucked into your book. Make a sun bookmark today!
There always seems to be extra wrapping paper around during winter. Wondering what to do with it? How about you make yourself a crown!
Pumpkin Surprise Balls: You start with tiny presents, and wrap and wrap them into a ball of fun! Cute for Halloween, at the Thanksgiving table, & more!
These little paper butterflies are super cute & easy! Roxie had a blast putting this together with Aryn one rainy day. Click on over to make one (or 5) too!
Giving a gift? Make it a unicorn present! Here’s how: Supplies: Unicorn template print-outs page one and page two Scissors Glue stick Tape Wrapping paper…
Keep your important to-dos under wrap with your very own gnomebook!
A little tongue-in-cheek and a LOT of fun, homemade award ribbons are a great way to share your love and appreciation.
Everyone loves finding something special in their mailbox! At a personal touch to snail mail with these homemade up-cycled envelopes!
These fun paper plants add pops of color to any space and require no maintenance. Simply print out our templates on cardstock and you're ready to create!
We love gnomes around here (and unicorns and rainbows and…), so this pop up gnome card was the perfect summer project for us!
Make your own kaleidocycle! Pick a spring themed template, color a mandala, or design your own optically twisted paper project.
In my adult life I’ve often found myself grateful to my crafty mother for teaching me her crafty ways. These paper flowers - or bows - are all mom! <3
Winter Break! Woohoo! Looking for ways to keep your littles away from the television? We put together a little list of some of our favorites…
Adult Coloring...Coloring for Grown-ups...whatever you want to call it - it's fun! Check out artist Sonja Emily's adult coloring pages here!
Homemade play dough was something I heard about from other moms, but totally thought I’d never make myself. C’mon…
We think “fall” & think leaves, football (or, moreover, marching bands!), sweaters, scarves…& wreaths! So, of course, we made a paper wreath for you to try!
What's the name of the pirate's ranch? Circle Arrrrgh! But seriously, let's make a pirate hat, people! Thar's fun to be had!
School’s over! Summer! Exciting! No? Worried about keeping little hands less-than-idle? How about some good, old-fashioned Inspire(d) paper projects?
Did you call this a cootie catcher or a paper fortune teller? Either way, it's fun! See what this project (and life!) has in store for you!
We're 110% sure you ALL want to make our totally epic paper project: a unicorn piñata! Step-by-step instructions at iloveinspired.com. Unicorns forever!
We love having these cute paper heart garlands up year-round, but February is for love and the perfect time to try out this easy Inspire(d) craft!
Looking for sweet ways to say "I love you"? Here's a fun starting place...just download a love letter, fill in the blanks, and add some love <3!
Looking for a fun & easy Christmas craft? Or a cute place card for your holiday table? Maybe you're a hoarder of tissue paper? These tiny trees are calling!
Looking for something fun to do with your kiddos on Thanksgiving? Or even today? Need table favors? These turkey finger puppets are super easy and cute!
A Paper Project by Inspire(d) Media/Aryn Henning Nichols These paper chicks are a fun spring project for the young and young-at-heart! Supplies: Construction paper or…
Supplies: Paper (I like red for Chinese New Year, but you can use any you like, 8.5 x 11 works best) Pencil Tape or Stapler…
Tutorial and one-handed photos by Aryn Henning Nichols Read an inspiring story about Decorah’s Spencer-Berg family and their four-month sabbatical in the Summer 2011 Inspire(d)…
A community is defined as a unified body of individuals. You can build community in a neighborhood, city, region, state, nation… world, at any level. It doesn’t have to be big to have a big impact. Building community is one of the most important things we can do on this planet. Connecting with others helps us connect with our humanity, and realize we’re all in this together.
Paul Reardon's Old Fashioned Gravel ride is bringing people to this gorgeous area to visit, enjoy, and ride with some awesome people.
A main street barbershop is so much more than a place to get a haircut. Dave Dudek, a barber who’s been cutting hair in his hometown…
Decorah music educators Nicole and Matt Cody see firsthand how music can act like a glue, binding a community together in harmony – both figurative…
Nathan Davidson uses the power to music to build community throughout Southeast, Minnesota, one gig at a time.
The six owners of the Bridgeview Plaza had a space to fill – a really large one. Their solution was The Blue Zone.
Local businessman Charlie Dee of Holmen, Wisconsin, along with First Free Church in Onalaska have been creating a community of helpers.
It is said the art of teaching is in leading others to discovery. And Molly Holkesvik, longtime English teacher at Decorah High School, has helped…
Community-building happens in all kinds of places. Even an old garage, like Ernie’s Station, owned by Ernie Johnson of Whalan, Minnesota.
Alison Bunge Leathers is a boomerang, returning to Southeast Minnesota to live and build community with her family.
Gold Heart Tattoo owner Missy Hoch is evening out the male dominated industry of tattooing with her brand of female energy.
Laura and Andy Patten founded County Seat Laundry in Viroqua, WI, with the simple promise of making people's wash day better.
The Bronze Dragon is a one-of-a-kind, welcoming place for people who don’t or can’t drink, that is safe for the queer community, and accessible for all.
The Cresco Theatre and Opera House is so much more than a hometown theater.
Julia Borgen of Lanesboro, Minnesota, loves community. She won’t tell you that you should love it, too. Julia just does it.
From her big smile and zealous laugh, to her colorful outfits and statement glasses, anyone who comes across Rev. Laura Gentry can feel her warm energy and contagious joy.
Jeff Abbas builds community - and lives his dream - through agates, photography, and sharing both with others.
Colleen Foehrenbacher is building communit(ies) in Bluff Country through leadership at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center and beyond.
Community builders use many tools. Norb Kelly of Lanesboro, Minnesota, uses traditional tools: A saw, a hammer, a screwdriver.
Westby, WI, is host to an annual woodcarving event, founded by John Sutton, that brings craftsmen and visitors from all over the Midwest.
Decorah’s Jane Kemp is a fierce advocate for community causes, and a big believer in working hard to get things done.
“I believe that each of us as humans shine in our own way,” says Marnie Hofmeister-Pooley, owner of Let’s Shine Coffee in Hillsboro, Wisconsin.
Shaundel Spivey co-founded BLACK - Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge - to empower and elevate the black community in the La Crosse area.
Whalan, Minnesota, artist Diane Knight turns curiosity into art & community building. Learn more about her methods here!
Nancy Sojka helped found the Northeast Iowa Quilters Guild back in the late 80s, in a small-town bar, drinking… coffee.
Jane Peck’s love of long ago is making a difference – today – in Lanesboro, Minnesota through the History Alive Lanesboro organization.
Sarah Johnson founded The Joy Labs, in Winona, MN, where she experiments with joy and art, and builds community.
Viroqua, Wisconsin’s Historic Fortney Building is being revived by the Wrobel family, and they’re building community along the way
Terri Wolfgram "pedals literacy" and builds community through her mobile Little Free Library, Paperback Rider, based in La Crosse, WI.
Stephanie Fromm talks fast and works faster, and she can't help but build community here in Northeast Iowa.
Maryann Baldwin of Lansing, Iowa, loves planting the seeds of community - like Lansing Office Works – and then watching them grow.
Even though Brooke Pfeffer doesn't think of herself as a Community Builder, she definitely does just that in Lanesboro, Minnesota.
Amanda Goodenough works hard in the La Crosse, Wisconsin, community to create a better awareness around racial justice and responsibility.
Adrian Lipscombe, owner of Uptown Cafe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, launched a black farming initiative, 40 Acres and a Mule, in 2020.
“My wife and I believe that the more people you can help in a community, the better everything else turns out," says Pete Espinosa.
Luke Zahm pursues his passion for food & cultivates identity for the Midwest as a chef, at his restaurant, Driftless Café, and now through Wisconsin Foodie.
Greg Wennes, a recovering alcoholic himself, helped found Sunrise Care Facility in 1988. It was among the first of its kind in this part of the Driftless.
“I got this.” It’s a phrase Shannon Dallenbach Durbin has found herself saying a lot. Usually it’s for something creative.
Roxanne Schnitzler and Jessica Rediske run Red-Roxy Quilt Co. in Decorah, and foster a growing community of crafters in the region.
There’s some serious pep in Adam Wiltgen’s step as he leads a tour of the arts campus in Lanesboro, a small, but vibrant, community in Southeast Minnesota.
Building community is the most important thing we can do. Connecting with others helps us connect with our humanity, and realize we're all in this together.
Meatball suppers, spaghetti feeds, pancake breakfasts: Fundraisers are a beloved Midwestern tradition. Spring Grove's Red's IGA takes it a step further!
NE Iowa RC&D's Lora Friest says she never tires of visiting with people about their ideas and helping them realize that they can actually achieve them.
For Decorah Fire Chief Mike Ashbacher, it’s the thriving group of volunteer firefighters and the service they provide that helps him build community.
Community Builder: Lissa Carlson / Coulee Parenting Connection By Aryn Henning Nichols • Photos courtesy Lissa Carlson Originally published in the Fall 2017 Inspire(d) When…
John Condon has shaped an industrial tech program at Decorah High School that focuses projects less on the individual and more on the wider community.
DecorahNow.com is a staple in the Decorah community, and builders Liz Rog and Brad Crawford have still bigger dreams for the future
Here at Inspire(d) HQ, we value positive news. Friends, family, neighbors who do good things. Ideas that make us think. Optimism. We believe that people are, as a whole, good, and that tiny changes can turn into big, world changes.