Hello there to all my readers. Thank you for sticking with me while I figure out what this blog is all about (I know that rhymed. I couldn’t resist).

It’s been an interesting couple of months, but I wanted to share the blog’s firmed up direction with you as well as share some of the issues I’ve encountered as a new blogger.

At first, I really wanted this blog to do a lot of things: I wanted it to be a showcase for my Etsy sites, Aliza’s Inklings and Shandel Vintage, and I wanted it to reflect my myriad hobbies. Some things are doing well, and others have been more difficult for me. Coming into the holidays is always a time of reflection, so this is the new, and I think improved, direction for the blog:

From now on, there will be one concrete post that you can count on every week. This will be the baking for bookworms feature that I’ve really enjoyed. I don’t want to go full time on just that project because I don’t have time to read all the books I want to (speaking of which, if you ever have a suggestion for a book for me to read for baking for bookworms, please leave it in the comments).

This blog makes it seem like I’m a very crafty person, but the truth is I craft very sporadically and organically as the mood strikes. When I feel the urge to craft I’ll share it. I’ll also be sharing more recipes and other tidbits, but again, the feeling I’m going for is organic. I’ll still occasionally post travel and lifestyle things, but this blog will showcase my passion for baking and cooking and reading first and foremost, with everything else taking a back seat. With this being the case, I suggest people subscribe to the blog so that they don’t have to continually check back for updates, since the posts will be less predictable.

I hope that you’ll stick with me as I continue to share things and find out what Aliza Shandel is. This blog is all about joy and beauty, and the discovery of what I can give the most of and how to share it in the best way all make up that journey towards living a beautiful, joyful life. Please let me know your thoughts and opinions, and thank you for being part of what I’ve created.