Inspired Media

The Fall 2018 Inspire(d) is filled with fun ideas for getting out of your comfort zone – we are so excited to share it with you! Here’s what you’ll find:

Fly Fishing • Seed Savers visits Svalbard Seed Vault • Roadschooling • Community Builders: Kelly Momsen & Gaby Peterson; Misty Lown; Katie Ruff • Pumpkin Surprise Balls • And More!

A note from Aryn:

Roxie and I were doing an activity in her (okay, our) Highlights Magazine the other day and it said, “Draw a picture of your happy place.” Roxie drew a picture of us, in bed, reading books. She asked me what mine would be, and I thought for a bit… “Probably sitting out on the patio. Or working in the garden,” I say, then pause… “Or maybe on the couch, watching TV.”

“Oh, yeah, I love to do that too!” Roxie says with a big smile.

These happy places – they’re basically the epicenter of our comfort zones – and to be honest, they’re not bad places to be in (of course not!). But a life spent only in the comfort zone could mean we’re missing opportunities along the way.

So this issue of Inspire(d) is all about embracing some of the leaps and bounds that take us to places we’ve never been. Occasionally getting a little “uncomfortable” will help us learn more about ourselves, and maybe discover our comfort zones are bigger than we think (check out page 23 to learn more)!

CLICK HERE to read the Fall 2018 issue of Inspire(d) Magazine!

I kicked my research off by trying something totally new to me: Fly fishing! There is an amazing community of fly fishing women building up across the Driftless, and they are super excited to welcome more women to the sport (pg 14). I had a blast getting to know them… AND learning more about fly fishing!

And then I was totally inspired when I read Kristine Jepsen’s story highlighting area families that have taken time to try roadschooling (pg 34). I don’t think we would ever do a whole year (or who knows?!), but a month in the winter? I could get on board with that.

We’d definitely would be interested in an exploration to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (even if it IS the Arctic Circle). The place sounds amazing – read Sara Friedl-Putnam’s story about Seed Saver’s executive director Lee Buttala’s trip on pg 26 to see for yourself. The work of the folks involved, and the connections they’re making, will undoubtedly help keep this world spinning for future generations.

Yes, it’s all about connections and community. This issue marks our 11th anniversary of making Inspire(d). I’m grateful for each year we’re able to bring positive news to – and about – our neighbors here in the Driftless. We’re excited to continue the Community Builders section this Fall Inspire(d), and plan to keep doing so for each Fall Anniversary issue ahead. Read about Kelly Momsen and Gaby Peterson of Yarnology in Winona, Minnesota; Misty Lown, of Misty’s Dance Unlimited in Onalaska, Wisconsin; and Katie Ruff of By the Spoonful in McGregor, Iowa. These folks are working to bring people together, and we love that so much!

We hope you have a wonderful fall (I love this season)! Maybe get out of your comfort zone a bit… plan a night out with friends, or take a road trip to explore the region, or try something totally new to you! This is a big world we live in – let’s not let anything awesome pass us by.

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

P.S. You know what else is totally awesome? Voting! Don’t forget to do so on or before Tuesday, November 6. XOX -A

CLICK HERE to read the Fall 2018 issue of Inspire(d) Magazine!

These little paper butterflies are super cute and super easy! Roxie had a blast putting this together with me (Aryn) one rainy day. You could make a bunch of them and hang them from strings to make a little mobile, or tack them up on a wall in a group, or just make one to brighten your desk. Whatever you decide, have fun crafting! Isn’t paper the best?!

Supplies:

• Pretty paper (we found slightly thicker paper – like printer paper – is better than origami paper for this, but the origami paper is nice because it’s already perfectly square!) We got our lovely paper from Cardboard Robot in Decorah! The patterned paper is wrapping paper, and the solid paper is origami paper.

• Scissors

• Glue (optional)

Cut your paper into a rough square (if it’s not already in squares)

Fold one corner up to form a triangle and trim the excess paper off the edges.

Open it up and fold the opposite corner up to form another triangle. Trim excess paper.

Open it up again, and turn it so you can see the X. Fold one side up into a rectangle.

Open it up and turn it 90 degrees, then fold up into a rectangle again.

Flip it so the point faces up. You’re going to be folding IN (inverting) these two corners I’m pointing to.

Invert the fold on one side, and the other.

So it looks like this!

Now keep that point on the left, and fold the bottom point up to make a smaller triangle.

It’ll look like this! Keep that point on the left, and round off the top point.

Open it back up one fold. It’ll look like this!

Take these two corners – just the front pieces, not the back – and fold them down into the center.

Like this!

Now grab that bottom tip and roll it backward.

Until just the tip is sticking out above the top.

Fold that tip down over the front. Make a strong crease. This is the butterfly’s head!

Then fold the whole thing in half, starting the crease at the butterfly’s head.

Give it a squeeze! This will help keep the folds all together. (It will open up back again after the squeeze – it’s almost done!)

If you want to give your butterfly antennae, grab a couple of those trimmed paper scraps.

Tuck them in next to the head (a little drop of glue or swipe of glue stick before you tuck it in wouldn’t hurt to help keep it in place), and trim to your desired length.

And you’re done! Isn’t it cute? Please let us know if you have any questions. Thanks!

Lots of fun things to look forward to in the Summer 2018 Inspire(d):

4-H • Dunning’s Spring bridge / Stonemason Ted Wilson • Viroqua’s Growing for Good • Adventures in the Driftless • Summer “Fill Your” Bucket List • Wabasha’s LARK Toys • Sum of Your Business: WW Homestead Dairy, Paper Butterflies, & More!

A note from Aryn:

Thinking back on my childhood, summer was all about adventures. Oftentimes, those adventures were just exploring the woods in my backyard or going down to the nearby creek with my cousins to squish cold mud between our toes.

So there’s nothing that brings me more joy than watching my kid run around our backyard, barefoot, hiding behind ferns and playing silly made-up games with her friends, or climbing up the rocks at Dunning’s Spring in Decorah. (Read Kristine Jepsen’s story about the new Dunning’s Spring bridge, and stonemason Ted Wilson on page 42 – it is fascinating!)

This is the stuff of summer, you guys!

Need a little inspiration to get you started? You clearly came to the right place! Check out our Summer Fill Your Bucket List, and some great events you might want to add to your Adventure Calendar this season (ever heard of the Catgut Paddle? It looks awesome!). Adventuring Ideas start on page 34, plus there’s a nice round up of resources available for exploring our little corner of the Driftless (pg 64), compiled by recent Luther grad Elizabeth Bonin.

CLICK HERE to read the Summer 2018 issue of Inspire(d) Magazine!

I know one adventure we’re adding to our list for sure: LARK Toys in Wabasha, Minnesota. How is it that I’ve never been to this giant (seriously, it’s 21,000 square feet!) toy store? Reading Maggie Sonnek’s story about how the current owners took on this “Willy Wonka-style” job – and how it connects to a slower pace of life – was truly beautiful (pg. 55).

Another big part of my childhood summer was 4-H. At the end of the school year, I would pick a pattern with my mom, and together we’d sew a project (inevitably we’d run right up on the fair deadline in July – an early sign of my aversion to deadlines?). I would often submit a photograph or another craft too, or maybe even do a presentation (I got to go to Cattle Congress as a junior member!). I remember painting awesome trash cans with our 4-H club name (the Cherry Valley Chums) for the Allamakee County Fair and working the food booth with fellow members.

(Sidenote: I totally could have entered something crafty with the Paper Butterflies Project Roxie and I put together on page 21.)

So yes: Fair time was the best! I think the Einck kids featured in this issue of Inspire(d) think the same thing (pg. 14)! Sara Friedl-Putnam tagged along with these three Decorah siblings as they took care of some of the animals they’re showing at the Winneshiek County Fair – from chickens to dogs to sheep to goats! Going through the livestock barns (and the 4-H building) is one of my favorite parts of the fair, and it was fun to get the background on what it takes to get there, and learn some of the history behind my beloved 4-H organization as well (pg. 14).

We’ve got lots of other great stories woven throughout this issue too – Growing for Good in Viroqua, Wisconsin (pg. 26), WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon (pg. 51), a wonderful probituary, and more.

We hope you have a great summer, friends, and that this magazine helps inspires you to get out adventuring!

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

CLICK HERE to read the Summer 2018 issue of Inspire(d) Magazine!