Welcome!

Welcome!  It's an interesting road that I've traveled these past few months that has led me to creating this blog.  After 10 years of publishing Altered Arts magazine, I felt led to take a break and focus on myself and my family.  I called this summer the summer of "nurture".  How could I nurture myself - creatively, spiritually, and physically?  I also focused on nurturing my family by spending more time with them.  One of the goals I made for myself during this hiatus was to spend time in the studio...every day.  Truthfully, that has not happened routinely.  Over the summer, especially, I had a hard time with that one.  Now that my oldest daughter is away at college (first year) and the youngest has started school, it's becoming easier.  I spend two days a week acting like a personal assistant/housekeeper for my elderly father, though, and sometimes that eats into my creative time.  Of course, that is time I would NEVER want back.  I love that I can spend time with him. I only wish I could have spent more time with both of my parents while my mom was still alive, but I have no regrets.

Anyway, I digress... Why am I starting this blog?  Because I need an outlet.  I'm creating, reading, nurturing, wearing great shoes, and I need to share. :-)  When I was publishing the magazine I had an outlet, but no time to create.  Now I have the time to create and no outlet.

This blog will actually be like a public diary of sorts, with pictures.  So to say it is an art blog or even a lifestyle blog would be misleading.  It will be an everything sort of blog.  Remember when on Seinfeld they were talking about pitching a show idea to the executives?  "It's a show about nothing," Costanza stated.  That will kind of be what my blog is about.  A blog about nothing (and everything).

The things that I'm sure will influence my blog are:  my art, reading - I'm an avid reader!, shoes - I love 'em and actually DO wear the really high stilettos, food - I'm not sure I'm a very good cook, but I love food (I've collected a vast number of cookbooks just to "have" them.), and my faith.  I'm not the preachy sort, but there is no way I can write about my life without it popping in there from time-to-time.  I will try to avoid politics as I've discovered that the general populous can't seem to comment on them without accusations and animosity...without any substantive arguments. (Have you noticed this?  My daughter will come home with some story about how she had a political disagreement at school and she will be angry.  I always tell her that she needs to take anger out of the equation and present logical reasons as to why she feels the way she does...not why the other person is wrong. I think this is a skill severely lacking in today's "civilized" society.) Finally, I LIKE PEOPLE...I really do.  I welcome interaction from everyone.  I do NOT do drama of any sort.  If your comment seems to be inviting drama, don't be surprised if it disappears.  To that end, please always remember that I am a real person who will read your comments.  Others who comment are also real people.  Be thoughtful and kind when commenting.  I am spending less time on the computer, period, it helps with finding more time for creating and nurturing.  I may schedule several posts here and on Facebook all at once, so it might look like I'm on more than I am.  If I don't reply to your comments right away, don't fret.  Just give me a little time...I'm probably nurturing my family instead of my computer screen.

In addition to sharing with you why I've decided to create this blog and what it will be about, I thought I'd leave you with a note about a book I've recently read:

The synopsis (from Amazon) is:

Those were the best days of her life...

"Poor LilyAnn," the local ladies lament. "She sure is stuck in the past."

Eleven years ago, LilyAnn Bronte was the Peachy-Keen Queen of Blessings, Georgia—the prettiest, smartest, and most popular girl in town, going steady with the star quarterback, a high school career on the fast track to success. Then Randy Joe was killed in Iraq, and somehow LilyAnn just let herself go to seed.

Ruby, Mabel Jean, Vera, and Vesta of the Curl Up and Dye have been itching to give LilyAnn a makeover, but she knows it would make more than a new hairstyle for her to get her life back.

Until one fateful day, when a handsome stranger roars into town, and LilyAnn has a revelation.

Maybe the best is yet to come...

Just to let you know, I actually try not to read books I don't think I'll like.  I mean, really, what would be the point?  From the ones I select, I rarely put them down or return them before finishing them.  That said, I did really like this book.  It was a nice little love story.  When I chose it, I ventured away from my standards: action, mystery, or spy novels, and was glad that I did.  I think you will like this book.  Let me know if you read it too.

Okay, that's it.  My first post on my new personal blog about nothing and everything.  Just a note, however:  while Altered Arts magazine is on a publishing hiatus right now, back issues are still available on our website and, more importantly, our blog and Facebook page are still active.  I've scheduled guest bloggers during the hiatus, and there's some good inspiration to be had.  You can check it out at:  www.alteredarts.com or alteredarts-magazine.blogspot.com.

Let me know you stopped by. Don't forget to follow my blog, I'd really appreciate it.

~Cyndi