That's it right there...that was the moment that I had an epiphany,
sitting in the Barnes & Noble in Baltimore on a vacation to visit
my brother. I picked up my very 1st copy of 'Artful Blogging' &
I was hooked! It was May of 2009 & I read this addition from cover
to cover while sitting & drinking my Mocha Frappuccino & all I
could think of was...this speaks to my inner soul. This is not only
who I am, but it who I want to be. I want to be artful & I want to
share my joy & inspiration with the blogging community & so I
dreamed it & so it was done...that's just the way I roll! ;)
June of 2009 I wrote my 1st post & over the past 6 years this
world has lead me on oh so many adventures. Every goal I
had set for myself has basically been fulfilled through my
blogging experience. It introduced me to people & places &
a creative community that I never knew even existed. It took
me to Round Top & a solo trip from the southern coast of
California to Texas on my infamous 'Texas or Bust' tour.
I was introduced to the Junk Gypsy's whom I adore & even
sold some of my wears to them for a few seasons. I got to fall in
love with the whimsy of Magnolia Pearl & although I could
never quite afford her...a few pieces hang in my closet from
the kindness of others & a $200 check I wrote for a homespun
vest. I still think pickin threw baskets of doily's was one of the
high points of my trips. I wanted to start doing digital design
& create blogs for others, check! I wanted to be published in
a Stampington Magazine, check, check. I wanted to meet Jenny
Doh, the editor & chief of Stampington at the time...check, check,
check. I wanted to create a blog full of beauty & inspiration
& I think I managed to do just that...a big check.
And then I just got bored with it all.
Facebook just kinda took over the world & seemed a simplier
place to find out what friends & organizations were doing. I didn't
have to make a big deal over anything, I could simple click like &
that was the extant of my communication. So much less time
consuming then an actual blog. You have to work a blog, you have
to think about content & all those beautiful images you wanted to
share. Facebook was a one stop shop into the world of everyone
& anyone you ever wanted to know & maybe even into a few
you could care less about. And sooooo, Facebook nudged out my
blogging for a while, but as of late I am feeling ever so disenchanted
by it's lack of intimacy. I'm a face in a sea of faces, a sound bite
in a never ending barrage of sound bites. I'm just not feeling it
& it's time for a change...I think it's time for a BIG change.
Heading toward 59, with 60 right around the corner, I'm looking
for something more. I want a place where I can live my real &
whole truths out loud, not just a pretty & sweet, candy coated
version of me. A place where all my imperfections & madness
can be exposed, along with my beauty & joy for creation. An
open letter to the universe that reveals my tough skin & my soft
underbelly, flaws & all & maybe especially my flaws. There's
a favorite line I have in the movie 'Gone Girl' where the main
character says..."I love to have strangers pick at all my scabs".
I totally get that...she really didn't, but sometimes it's necessary
to be able to share your truths.
So from this moment on, this will be my raw & honest blog,
probably filled with the curse words I use everyday. Probably
offensive to some & not always the happy place I use to try
& give my readers. This time it's for me & anything goes &
if not a soul reads it or comments on it...I am soooo cool with
that. I'm just going to put it out there, my own personal journal
because I've never been good about jotting thoughts down on
a piece of paper & besides...everything is better with a few pics!
Simply Susie...
