I know this pic is really random, but that is my head at the moment and I just didn’t have any pic that screamed BLOG. Also, I think this one is some visual 80’s eye candy, and I am sending it your way straight from my heart 🙂 BTW, I submitted this for a now Defunct 80’s desktop article for Creative Techniques. It was of 80’s memoribilia that I collected and I was trying to show the way you could scan in objects to create a custom desktop background for your computer. Anyway, I digress…

One of my main focuses as of late has been updating and reinventing this blog. I’m sure if you have a blog, you know the chore involved in posting, staying active, and keeping it fresh with fun and interesting content. But, seriously, it is a really hard thing to do. I keep asking myself, “What do people want to read?” This is a legitimate question, but I think when I really analyze it, I need to really be centered on WHO AM I? and WHERE DO I WANT TO GO?

See, the thing is this…I don’t really know. I am a person that pours my creativity into many different avenues. You name it, I like doing it. Tonight, for example, while over dinner I came up with some fun party planning ideas for a bachelorette party and then discussed taking candid photos at a wedding. I then gave my friend some tips on scrapbooking and then told her that we should have all our friends together for a cupcake decorating party. Yes, I’m all over the place, indeed. It’s not a bad thing that I have a lot of creative outlets, but reeling them in is the difficult part. I want to emcompass all my passions…trend-spotting, marketing, blogging, photography, crafting, digital crafting, jewelry making, entertaining, (and the list goes on) into my blog. I don’t think it has to be just one thing, but it is still a challenge for me, a random girl who has ideas popping up all over the place.

I’ve been searching as of late for ways to market and create traffic on your blog…I came across this insightful article that I found to be insightful. I am discovering a lot of new things and things like memes and bloglists. It’s actually all a little overwhelming.

So, as I go along, I’ll be tooling with the format of this thing and figuring out what works best for me. I’d really like to discover a way to more efficiently post (and have it not feel so excrutiating – coming up with ideas and executing them is work!). I’ll try not to bore you with anymore details, but you have any suggestions for me, I’d really appreciate them.

And while we’re at it, if you are reading this and have your own craft or life blog, I’d love to trade links! Leave a comment or e-mail me at swelldesigner@yahoo.com. Us creative types have to stick together and be supportive of one another. I truly feel that friends (internet ones, too), are invaluable for success in what we want to do, and I’d be more than happy to help you out, if you help me 🙂

Now onto my Friday Faves…. Today, I want to share a couple of my recent fave craft blogs and sites I’ve discovered. I’m just dipping my toes into some of this scene, so excuse me if it is old news, but it is new to me and I wanted to share…

Design Sponge
Really love the layout and look of this one. So simple and fresh. Lurve the mini trends section and the diversity of crafts,trends, and décor this site has to offer.

Geekologie
This site is really smart and witty. And it’s got the perfect portion of craft, technology, celebrity gossip and pop culture. I think I’m in love!

Remakeables
This is a great blog. Love the illustrations and the observations and all the little details in between. It really is a nice, little slice of life I appreciate.

Anyway, off to bed. Going tomorrow back home to visit the folks and to photograph my parent’s 45th high school graduation. My dad has organized it and I’m taking photos and selling CDs to all the folks with the pics on them. Should be fun. From what they’ve told me, they are some of the spirited reunion goers I’ve heard of. Placemats with senior pics, red and black everywhere…they’ve got it going on and I look forward to sharing with them and meeting some of the people I’ve always heard them talk about.

Toodles, Swellions.

Alexa