Blogging about blogs

The two or so people who came on here yesterday may notice a change in the appearance of this brand new blog. I am personalizing it a bit and using my rusty and out-of-date Photoshop skills gleaned at college some ten years ago to add a dash of color and interest. I imagine I will be playing with the look of my blog a lot because:

1. I am fussy. I have perfectionist tendencies that cause all sort of havoc in my life.
2. I love the appearance of things. As much as I wish I were much deeper than I am my eyes sway me something fierce. Put a length of bright satin ribbon in front of me and I will follow the saturation of light as if mesmerized. Forget it when what I am viewing is food, I am lost in sensory admiration.
3. There is a lot to live up to out there in the world of blogs.

I must admit to being swept away with blogs and more specifically the gorgeous food blogs out there. If you want to be impressed with creativity and artistry not to mention tempted by culinary delights go trolling on the web through food blogs. You will be amazed, delighted, flabbergasted and astonished by the vast array, talent, effort and beauty. I have favorites some due to their content, some due to a whimsical and thoughtful voice, others because they are just downright lovely and tickle my aesthetic sensibilities, others have scrumptious recipes and then others surpass many magazines in their ability to photograph and style food. Then there are a few that meet all these criteria. I imagine I will revisit this remark in more detail.

The first food blog I am going to mention is Cupcake Bakeshop. I have always adored cupcakes as they are dainty, pretty and have such a strong connection to childhood. The cupcakes featured in Cupcake Bakeshop are not those remembered from childhood these are the adult, chic, gourmet versions with startling flair and incredibly exotic combinations such as Chocolate Cupcake Stuffed with Ginger Caramel, Frosted with Mango Ganache, and Topped with a Mango-Ginger Won Ton. Cupcakes are afterall a hot trend.

My second favorite blog is the art blog. My art scene is not "fine art", but the more colorful, fanciful, fun and usually feminine found in magazines like Somerset Studio, Cloth Paper Scissors and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. I am talking about altered art, collage, artist trading cards, multi-media, art collaboration and assemblage art. The art is personal, intentionally imperfect and a complete cornucopia of different elements, time periods, inspiration, color, tools and techniques. The publishers of Somerset Studio are going to soon be releasing a book about blogging: Artful Blogging.

One of my favorites also featured in the book is by Michelle Ward and I especially appreciate her Street Team. She issues challenges and people using her unmounted stamp line Green Pepper Press step up to the challenge. I am in love with her images, especially her WayWard Collection which are gothic, lush and decadent as is Michelle Ward's work at the moment.

Yes, I have a lot to learn, especially how to take a decent photograph.