handcraftedadventure 
We tend to think creativity belongs to kids, artists, or people with “extra time.” But here’s the truth: creativity isn’t a luxury—it’s fuel. And you don’t need hours or talent to spark it. All it takes is ten intentional minutes a day to warm up your creative muscles and shift your mindset. I started doing … Read more
Strength training didn’t become part of my life until 2020, when Tom was recovering from his hip replacements. We started walking together every day during his recovery. At first, it was about helping him heal, but those daily walks lit a spark for both of us. By 2021, we added dumbbell strength training to our … Read more
One of the gifts of midlife is rediscovering parts of ourselves that may have been buried during the busy years of raising families, working, and holding it all together. For my friend, mixed media artist Cher Salvatore, that rediscovery came through art. What started as small creative projects soon became her lifeline — a way … Read more
I didn’t set out to write journals — I set out to survive change. After going back to school in my fifties, starting a new career, and trying to rebuild my health, I needed a lifeline. A place to process. That lifeline became journaling. Journaling has been one of the quiet through-lines in every season … Read more
For most of my life, I’ve been making something. I’ve quilted and crocheted, sewn bags and made ornaments, and gotten deep into cake baking during the long stretch of COVID. I’ve doodled, knitted, canned food, baked bread, learned photography, experimented with homemade pasta, and spent an unreasonable amount of time figuring things out in the … Read more
I’ll never forget the walk that almost made me give it all up. I had slipped on a pair of “cute” sneakers that looked great but rubbed blisters so badly I limped home in frustration. That’s when I realized: if I wanted walking to become part of my reset and my active life after 40, … Read more
For four years, walking was probably the most consistent habit in our lives. We didn’t start because we’d decided to become people who walked every day. Tom had his second hip replaced in August 2020 and needed to move as part of his recovery. Around the same time, we had Gracie, our Aussie Shepherd–Border Collie … Read more
Financial clarity is the first step toward turning overwhelm into action and uncertainty into confidence. Money can feel messy—bills, debt, savings, retirement. No wonder so many of us avoid looking too closely. I used to do the same. Every time I thought about “getting serious” with money, I felt overwhelmed before I even started. But … Read more
Starting Over on Her Terms: Ann’s Reinvention Story I met Ann back in 2007 when we were both working for a luxury home builder in Texas. The job ended, we both moved on—and moved away—but we stayed in touch through social media over the years. Since then, I’ve watched Ann completely reshape her life—not once, … Read more
What is adventure? You don’t need a passport stamp, a hiking summit, or a perfect photo op to live a life of adventure. Let’s start there—because if you’ve spent any time scrolling lately, your feed is probably full of dreamscapes and wild places. Mountain peaks. Ocean dips. Van life in Iceland. And sure, that’s one … Read more