Have you ever stepped back to notice just how much the economy is in the news? And how the talking heads frame it so it feels more like they're blaming society than they are the folks in power?
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Not from a place of care... but with this subtle pressure:
That if we’re not spending, if we’re not consuming, we’re failing the system.

Honestly, though? The system itself is the failure. And it's failing us.

The system depends on us being exhausted, distracted, and disconnected from our own enoughness. Because people who feel fulfilled - who believe they already have what they need - don’t make great consumers.

NEW ON THE BLOG: The Magic of Making Do
(How Beauty + Usefulness Can Save Us)

When we make do... when we reuse, repurpose, repair, slow down, and step outside the spend-consume-discard cycle... we’re not failing the economy.
We’re starving the machine that’s been devouring us.
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But maybe embracing the Magic of Making Do is the revolution we truly need right now?

This is one reason I adore Junk Journals...

It’s one of the most magical ways to “make do”: because it turns scraps, packaging, and forgotten paper into meaning, memory, and art.

In this month's issue of my magazine, Illumine. I dive into the Joy of Junk Journals. Inside, I share some tips on ways to create them - and what to use them for.

But there's really no right or wrong way to create junk journals - it's just an art centered on making the most of what you have an expressing yourself creatively.

Illumine is available in both digital and print - and all print issues are in stock and ready to ship.

Another way to embrace the Magic of Making Do:
Once a Month Freezer Meals

This is literally the number one blog post I've ever written. It's had over 100 MILLION views. When I wrote it 13 years ago, it only cost me about $200 to do a month of freezer meals - and I haven't done it in so long that I have no idea what it would cost today.

However, the post is not so much about the recipes (though they are included) but more about how to turn one afternoon into a month full of meals. The lessons I learned and sharing with you the tips and tricks so you can rethink how you cook to do more in less time.

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Playlist of the Week

Summer is peeking around the corner with Memorial Day on the horizon... and I found an amazing Cape Cod inspired playlist that would be perfect for a beach day (in real life or in your imagination!)

It's full of soothing old songs that feel as relaxing as a long day of soaking up the salty air and sun.

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Thanks for being here.

Thanks for choosing a slower, more intentional way... even when the world tries to rush you, pressure you, or convince you that “more” is the only way forward.

Every time you light a candle, use what you have, or make something beautiful out of nothing - you’re not just getting by.
​You’re helping build something better.

Here’s to finding magic in the ordinary.
And remembering you were never meant to be disposable either.

Sending you oodles of love, light + magic...