And not just any magazines—ones built from the ground up, fueled by grit, creativity, and a fearless sense of adventure.

          

The Bikes & Spikes Years 

It all started in the late 90s with a women’s motorcycle magazine called Bikes & Spikes.

Three of us—Denise, Helen, and I—set out to create something that didn’t really exist at the time. We were single, independent, and riding motorcycles across the country, building this magazine for women one mile at a time.

We weren’t sitting behind desks. 

We were out there—meeting people face-to-face, selling ads, chasing stories, and figuring it out as we went. It was bold, unpredictable, and one of the most exciting chapters of my life.

     

Finding My Voice in Publishing

That experience led me into the Advertising Director role at the Mankato Free Press and Southern Minnesota newspapers, where my passion for publishing expanded in a whole new way.

This is where I truly found my rhythm. I didn’t just work on magazines—I created them.

Each one had a purpose, a personality, and a story to tell.

• Lifestyle publications that captured the heartbeat of local communities
• Home and style magazines filled with rich photography, food, and inspiration
• Gather, centered around connection, beauty, and everyday moments
• Business and community magazines highlighting leadership, growth, and innovation

         

Building Community Through Storytelling

Some of the most meaningful work I created came through community-driven publications. To include Mankato's Visitor Guides for many years. 

Explore Steele County was designed to celebrate local life—events, places, people, and everything that made the area unique. It was vibrant, visual, and built to connect communities. And then there were the kids magazines—Kid-oh! & Kids Konnect for Steele County

                     

These were distributed throughout elementary schools to every student in the Mankato school system along with Steele County and were inspired by the classic Highlights magazine—but with a modern, local twist. They included stories, games, crafts, fashion, and fun.

Those projects weren’t just publications.

They were experiences.

      

They brought communities together, sparked creativity in kids, and gave people something to feel connected to.

FORGED: Telling the Story of Industry 

     

   

One of the standout publications during this time was FORGE.

This magazine focused on manufacturing, education, healthcare, and workforce development in Steele County. It highlighted the backbone of the community—the people, industries, and opportunities that keep everything moving forward.

It was about showing pride in where you live—and the people who make it strong.

STEELE COUNTY WORKS - A workforce +career awareness publication

It wasn't fluff - it was practical, community-driven content for the trades.

The Thread That Connects It All

Winning these two categories @ The Minnesota Magazine Publishers awards in Minneapolis was just the start...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking back, every one of these projects had something in common:

Storytelling.

Design.

Connection.

And that’s exactly what lives on today in Fabulous Firefly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only now, instead of magazines, I create wearable art.

Each piece of jewelry is layered, expressive, and designed to stand out—just like the publications I once built. The medium may have changed, but the intention hasn’t.

 

It’s still about creating something people connect with.

It’s still about telling a story.

It’s still about bringing ideas to life in a way that feels bold, beautiful, and a little unexpected. Because whether it’s ink on a page… or beads on a chain…

Great design always tells a story.

And this is just one chapter of mine.

 Shop the latest designs from Fabulous Firefly → https://fabfirefly.com