“Please let me
know your thoughts
and opinions about
this…” ~Cindy-L
I know that many of you include my blog articles video tutorials in your daily routine. And for this I can’t even begin to express how grateful and honored I feel, to have become such a close part of your lives.
Cindy, Thank you for your dedication and wonderful sense of humor. I wake up each morning wondering what you will come up with today. LOL. I always feel like you are my New Best Friend and I know you so well. Thank you for being you! ~Beverly-S
When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is check for the new blog.. LOL. Actually, I start the coffee first and go to the blog while it is brewing. Later I go to my “day job” and dream of the day when I can stay home and play with clay !!! ~Anna-S
Just finished my morning ritual… turn on computer, start coffee, pour coffee, sit down at computer and open your blog. Sound familiar anyone? Needless to say there is always something special waiting. Cindy, thank you for expressing what many of us feel, that this is our clay home to which we bring our creative yearnings and know they will be satisfied. Beyond that, indeed, there is something more, this sense of community, family, friendship. It would be impossible, I think, to identify all the factors that contribute. It certainly begins with your talent and generous spirit in being willing to share it with us. Maybe, too, in a world where egos dominate and there is very little genuine kindness, we, from all countries and all walks of life, as Cindy put it, have found an exception. ~Elizabeth-S
I look forward each mornings to reading the blog. It helps make my day a little better. ~Barb-C
Cindy and Doug, Your combined efforts and products marked a turning point for me to the better as a major life improvement. I cannot thank both of you enough and am in your debt. It means the world to me that you both are so professional, caring and supportive. I wish you both the very best that life has to offer. May your business and reputations prosper and grow with daily blessings from me. Every day, each morning, I cannot wait to rise, grab a coffee, and read the latest blog and all the comments. It has been a long time since I have felt that type of motivation and excitement. Each daily blog post, comment and video get better and better, and it is so amazing and enjoyable to watch and participate! Fondly always.
~Jocelyn-C
I like being able to read and watch your videos with my coffee in the mornings. ~Barb-C
Just hoping everything is okay Cindy. It’s 9:30 on Wednesday morning and there’s no daily post yet. I’m so used to seeing a new post each morning by the time 8:00am rolls around! Just want to let you know someone is thinking about you and hoping everything is okay. Actually, the 1st thing I look at each morning is your daily blog. You have taken over my life Cindy!!! lol ~Maureen-G
Thanks for all these inspirational blog posts Cindy. I’m enjoying them and learning lots each morning with my coffee – and from the comments too!~Aims
I LOVE Cindy’s site because it’s so much more than instruction (which is excellent) but a community which I was sorely lacking. My coffee and I are here every morning to see the next dose of polyclay fabulousness! This has fast become one of the few things I must do every morning. Coffee, email, Cindy’s polymer clay site just to see what’s new… sometimes I don’t even do the email… just coffee and Cindy to calm my hectic whirlwind. Cindy Lietz’s talent, know-how and willingness to share it all, combined with this supportive, inquisitive group of artists, new and old makes an incredibly unique, enjoyable, need-to-have-in-my-life place. I can’t thank you all enough! Fabulous!!! ~Melinda-H
I agree with everyone else. This is THE place to come for everything clay and we can never thank you enough for your hard work, enthusiasm, and great tips! This is the first site I check every morning (even before my etsy shop)!
~Carrie-W
Now after 2 years (26 months to be exact), the wonderful community here is growing to a point where Doug and I are starting to fall a bit behind in being able to keep up with all of the demands associated with managing a site like this.
So we are re-evaluating a few things… and your input would be greatly appreciated.
One area I’d like to discuss today, is the possibility of going to a 5 day blog publishing schedule (Monday to Friday), instead of the 7 day format you all have become accustomed to.
So the question is… could you live without me for 2 days out of the week?
Actually, it wouldn’t be too drastic of a change. The blog site would still be available on Saturday’s and Sunday’s… for you to read and comment at. It’s just that I wouldn’t post new articles during the weekend.
This shift would allow Doug and I to start spending more time on creating the extra videos you guys have been asking for… like putting together a lanyard course for example… and also teaching some more complex cane projects.
I have an idea for Cindy, your life must already be a madhouse trying to keep up with everything on this site, maybe, do the lanyard video and set it up to be sold stand alone to those who want it. ~Ken-H
Cindy, If there is a way that we (those of us who wanted the lanyard tut) could buy this tut separately I too would join in. ~Joyce-M
I hope that this idea for a lanyard tutorial will come up again. I’ve looked far and wide online and there is nothing out there that is easily understood or filmed halfway decently. When other people film a clay tutorial, why do they not understand the importance of the close up? And don’t get me started on the sound quality. Anything on YouTube I have to plug speakers into my laptop so I don’t have to lip read. With Cindy, you KNOW you are going to get a professional, easily understood and well thought out lesson with great picture and sound. It’s like Cindy and Doug went to film school. They get it. ~Jill-V
Cindy, I think a separate lesson open to those of us interested in lanyards, would be great. Thanks for allowing us the input to shape what we’re learning here. ~DJ
Please tell me what you think about my “Weekendless” proposal. I’m really curious to hear what everyone has to say about it. You guys have been getting really good at speaking your mind… and I appreciate hearing from all of you.
To put this little idea to the test, let’s try something that has never been done before over the past 26 months. Tomorrow (Sunday, May 2, 2010), I’ll hold off from publishing an article here at the blog.
Now we all know this is not going to cause the world to come to an end, but it will give us (me included), a chance to see what it feels like.
Don’t worry, I’ll have a new post ready for you first thing Monday morning. It will be a Spotlight article. Until then…
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I like your proposal. Go ahead and create, that’s what we are here for. We need your creativity to keep our juices going. Doing more canes would be great fun. I too have am excited to see your blog every morning. The mornings are quiet and I can be on line before my retired husband spends all morning doing his thing on the computer. Thank you for all your time.
I think that’s a smart move. Other blogs I go to don’t have weekend blogs. We all need a couple of days to recoup from the weekdays. Go for it!
Well, you know Cindy, it will takes months before I retrain myself to not look for the blog on Saturdays and Sundays!! lol But you need some time, too. So do whatever is best for you. And if that means taking time to develop more videos…that’s good with me!! Are you sure the world will not come to an end??…I don’t know about that…lol.
I think it is a great idea. I just wish there was a way for you to take the two days off for just you and your family. My in-laws owned their own business and for years worked 7 days a week. I know it is very hard working for yourself. The Lietz’s have what it takes to do this that is for sure. I feel for what we pay, we get our money’s worth and way more. Yes I will miss you but as you said we can still blog with each other. I have no doubt in my mind you will do what is best for the all of us. So till Monday I wish you and Doug the best.
Uuuuuuuuugggs, Peggy
I’ve never thought blogs should be scheduled or even regular: blog if you have something you want to say and have the time to do so, don’t blog if you don’t. I’m more of the “blog = random musings” mindset, and elsewhere am used to bursts of wild activity interspersed with variable periods of silence. I actually much prefer that spontaneity to a fixed routine. So go for it, or for whatever you end up deciding upon. ;)
Cindy; Not blogging on the weekend and replacing it with prep work for videos is not giving yourself and your family time. I would miss the blogs but would rejoice if I knew you were taking time to refuel yourself.
Your idea of more involved canes is a good one but I would prefer that you were aiming to do more for yourself and Doug. So go for it.
I totally support whatever changes you and Doug feel are necessary. I, too, often wonder whether running this very demanding business leaves you much personal and family time. Everyone needs time for rest and renewal or pretty soon the business stops being fun. Besides the week-ends can be used to catch up on reading the threads we may have missed and as Peggy said, we can still blog with each other. Have a nice Sunday off. I promise that we will survive. LOL
BTW, I have been our of town and did not have an opportunity to weigh in on the lanyard tut. I, too, would love the opportunity to purchase a video as a separate lesson should you decide to do one.
It’s fine with me if you want to take the weekends off :) You deserve it!
I totally agree Cindy & Doug you should take time for yourself and family My own daughter has her own business from home and works all hours god made, I can see what it is doing to her always tired and snappy when she used to be full of fun, don’t let this happen to you. we all love you so go have your weekends together and stay happy and healthy. I will be happy what ever you manage for us. Ritzs
Cindy, my thought is “Family First”. We will always be here whether it’s Monday, Wednesday, Saturday we don’t care, we will be here. You need to do what feels right to you.
Not only would I buy the extra lanyard tut, I would buy others if you wanted to put them out there. Other people are making money by selling tutorials and so should you. The other ones out there are just pictures and words. I love the close ups you do and your incredible directions and easy to follow steps.
I think we all agree that we support you and Doug and what ever you want to do. We are here in Cindy Cyberspace whenever you need us.
I have a hard time keeping up with all the comments so this would give me a chance to catch up, and if it gives you a chance to do more creating as well as spend some much-deserved time with your family I definitely think you should go with it. I have been wondering for quite some time now just how you and Doug manage to do as much as you do! How kind of you to ask us — thank you.
Sure! I think that’s fine!
I agree with everyone else. In fact, I’m surprised that you are even able to do every day and only want to cut it back 2 days a week. It’s mind boggling to me, since lately sometimes I don’t even have time to read it everyday + you read all comments and I think that’s amazing and dedicated. If you take off weekends that would be good for you and we would live! We would look forward to Monday almost as much as we look forward to Friday and it would be good!
I think you are fabulous and amazingly generous with your knowledge and your time so you need to do what is best for your life, your family, and your dream. I will still be here!
Well we will certainly miss you these 2 days but, of course, you need down time!
I have a thought which may not work, but here goes – how about having a “guest blogger” on Saturdays? There are a few of us here at the site who are commenting almost daily (you know who you are :). Could they take your place that day? Just a thought…
@Maria: I like the guest blogger idea too.
And a 5-day schedule is perfectly fine with me as well. :)
Sounds good to me. There are some many comments by people I never get to read, I can do that on weekends.
Good Morning Cindy,
I totally agree with all the above but would like to add this. Do take this time for you and your family. The kids will be all grown up all too soon and like the rest of us we all age. So enjoy family. Its so important. The other thing is that when you are working on a more involved video like the pansy why not make it over a two week time frame? That pansy tutorial was well worth a little extra prep time. This is your blog and we should support what your needs are. We certainly don’t want you and Doug to burn out! Saturday and Sunday sound like great days to relax and if there is something happening that we want to comment on so be it. If not, enjoy what has been in the past that we might have skipped over because our lives were busy at that time. You certainly deserve and need some time to yourselves other than an annual vacation. Go for what is good for you and it will come back to us. Will be here when you are. Thanks again for all you do, see you Monday.
I totally agree with everyone ,it has always been a miracle for you to do all that you both manage to do each week ,so don’t be concerned about us we will live without the weekend fix as long as we do not loose you altogether from BURNOUT
I think it would be good. I don’t know if we need a guest blogger. We do enough chatting on our own I think. We can still help and cheer on each other. Not that we don’t need you, Cindy!!! Just I think we can manage. Andrea
Sometimes people take for granted that a post is just going to occur magically and that it was easy for the poster to do. I have never stopped being amazed at the amount of work you do here on your site Cindy. You must be constantly working on the next post which not only involves the posting but we never see behind the scenes which must be totally exhausting.
I think you need to enjoy your life with your family more. I too am surprised that you are cutting down by only 2 days. I would think that if you posted 3 times a week that we’d all be there anxious and waiting for the next post. You have indeed spoiled us all rotten.
Take time for you.
I think that time away will make for even more fantastic posts from our favourite Polymer Clay Tutor!
Go for it girl!
Everyone deserves a weekend. I remember in your bio how you said that there was a time in your marriage when you and Doug worked too hard. You have given all of us so much. How could we help but support you in wanting to have two days a week to yourselves? I’ll be fine with a 5 day per week blog schedule.
Go for it Cindy! We all love your posts but we don’t want you to burn out . You and Doug are doing so much, it’s mindboggling. Thanks for the special cane videos you will be doing for us but you definitely need the time for yourself and Doug and the family. We will be waiting for you Monday! And i will definitely buy the lanyard tute.
I too think it would be a great thing for you. As a performer there are certain times of the year where life goes completely berserk (like right now) when I can barely keep up with everything and my crafting “to-do” list gets way out of hand, so Cindy if that prep time is what is needed to make your life saner, then please take it, I am certain we can survive two days without hearing from our PC guru. Do what YOU have to do to remain the creative person you are.
Make the most of your weekends Cindy. We will enjoy what ever you have to offer but remember you have to take of each other your family comes first.
I have always been amazed at how you manage to post seven days a week! Everyone deserves time off. Maybe another good side effect: we might get to spend a bit more time on our projects while waiting for the week posts. Not sure if I have ADHD but my mind reels after each vidoe (is that a pun?) and no sooner do I get set up something else comes along: what the members post. The inspiration of the photos makes me want to do everything!! (And Cindy and Doug deserve some non-clay time.)
Hi Cindi: Any thing you need to do is fine with me. You provide me with inspiration every day as a fellow working woman, mother, wife, etc. (lol) which you do with grace and a good sense of humor. I find working with polymer clay so relaxing and you are an awesome teacher. I understand and can follow your directions as they are clear. I love your website and your tutorials. I have all your videos and watch them every day. Take care and wish you all the best.
Sounds great, I’m sure we can all survive with two fewer posts per week.
One thing I will say, is that with extra time to catch up on the comments as you said, perhaps it is unnecessary to make other people’s comments the bulk of the posts here? For example, by word count, this post is 70% other people talking in annoying red text. Maybe linking to the comments would suffice if you want to back up your statements?
@Ashlyn: Could you explain what you mean in your comment about annoying red text and the linking to the comments. I just want to make sure I understand you correctly before agreeing or disagreeing. Maybe we are waisting some of Cindy’s valuable time here but at the same time this community is also about being there for each other when needed also. Before I add more I want to make sure I understand you correctly.
Thanks and Uuuuuuggs, Peggy
Like everyone else, it amazes me how much you and Doug do with the videos alone (quality, detail, creating, inspiration,) not to mention your hard work writing, posting and answering all our questions. I was concerned about you maintaining that pace. Absolutely no worries reducing your blogging schedule to however much time you need. Anything that helps you and your family rejuvenate, will certainly help us in the end too.
As mentioned already a lot of us need a bit of a breather from Cindy’s crazy schedule too lol !! Relax and enjoy so you can still have fun creating, we’ll adapt just fine!
I think we’ll be able to manage just fine with only five posts a week. You guys definitely deserve some time away from the blog! :)
At my home, weekends are supposed to be relaxing or fun time with family. Do what is best for you and your family.
I guess we can live without you on the weekends. :)
Cindy, I’ve only been a member for 5 months, but I often wonder how you keep up this pace. Sure, I like having a daily blog article from you. It’s like opening a surprise package each day…but it’s not worth it if it’s going to burn you out.
I think you should TOTALLY take off the weekends. Relax and spend them with your family.
The guest blogger sounds like fun, but only if it doesn’t add one bit more work to your schedule…and forget it if it means you have to do any work on the weekend.
I agree, Cindy, with everyone else. Take the time to recharge and do whatever pleases you and your family! I’ve been a member since *almost* the beginning and with a full-time job, Keepsake Jewelry business beginning to really take off, and my family… I have a hard time reading every blog posting. The weekends would be a good time for me to catch up! I love the community here and appreciate you so very much! It’s a good idea and I believe everyone will be the better for it!
How dare you suggest taking time away from us! We’re not even properly weaned yet! Just kidding, Cindy. Like many others here, I’m astonished at how hard you work and I’ve thought for a while that you must be burning far too much midnight oil. Replenish yourself and take the weekends off, for goodness’ sake. That’s just us being selfish, so that you’ll spring forth with even more great ideas for us. Because you’re an artist who loves her work, sometimes it might be harder to take time away from it, difficult to stop work, with your mind whirring with ideas for projects. But I hope you and Doug will take some time for yourselves and your family as well. For us, your lessons are our renewal time but will you tell us, what does Cindy do for relaxation? Have a good weekend!
You and Doug give a lot of you personal time in making this an awesome website, but I agree…family comes first, especially hubbies. So, I am all for your new proposal. I have a tough time keeping up with my blog, so I can only imagine what it must be like for the two of you and this wonderful website. So, enjoy your weekends together!
Of course, take every weekend off! You both deserve it! I’m sure we all can keep ourselves entertained. We will have more time to practice what you teach us!
Wow,
What a beautiful day of reading! Today’s posts just reaffirm how blessed I am to have found such a loving and generous community of clayers. Cindy & Doug, are you feelin’ the love?
Yes of course! I agree with all the above. You and Doug have given us so much. You’re amazing. Although I do check in on the weekends, I try to spend my time (if not with the kids or hubby) practicing the techniques you give us. I appreciate you and this site so much. It’s funny, I logged on to my work computer a little while ago, just to make some adjustments before the company server does it’s weekly magic. While I was on I responded to an email I got from a friend and colleague yesterday afternoon. He came right back with a response. I told him, “Would you take a break!?! It’s Saturday night!” So Cindy, take a break! Love you. Thanks so much for all you do for us.
PS. Love the pic. ?
The ? was supposed to be a :heart: LOL
Of course you must take time out for yourself and your family..!! We will live without your weekend posts, though they will be missed… And as always, thanks for all you do..!
~Lisa :)
Sure Peggy
In the post, Cindy has placed a lot of comments from people that back up what she’s saying, in 14pt red text. It is my assumption, although I could be wrong as I am not one of those people who goes through and reads each comment, that these are comments from other blog posts. I find it unnecessary to read through comments saying what a great blog, what a help it’s been, etc etc in every other post because seriously I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t find it helpful. I don’t need convincing. So many of the posts have these same types of comments that it’s become a little ridiculous.
My suggestion would be that if Cindy wanted to use these comments to back up what she’s saying, she could instead put a link to them in a sentence like “Many of you have stated that this blog is a part of your routine blah blah” rather than writing them out in full. Does that clarify my position?
@Ashlyn: I don’t like all the quoted comments either (even though I just skip over them), and I’ve indicated that previously.
Cindy did ask for other people’s opinions after I said that, however, and judging by the replies other people either aren’t bothered by them, or actually like them and/or like being featured in them. (I don’t — particularly when I feel the context of the new topic is different to the context in which I made my comment initially — but I’m probably the local grouch, am used to having quite a different opinion to the majority, and in any case am firmly of the opinion that it’s Cindy’s blog and that she can do whatever she wants with it.)
But at least I now know I’m not the only person who dislikes all the quoted comments! ;D LOL
@Ashlyn: Thank you so much for your answer. I am just not all there when it comes to computer talk. I happen to like the way Cindy has her blog set up. I think when she refers to someones comment it is a compliment to them. Like you said it is in red what is the problem with just skimming right over them and going to the part you enjoy the most and leave the red for those who enjoy it. There is one good point to your suggestion though. If this would save Cindy time and she would prefer not to do it then I am all for leaving them out for that reason alone.
Sue I am glad you feel better knowing you are not the only one with this opinion.
I think anything Cindy and Doug want to do that would make it easier on them and still keep their blog the way they want we all would agree too. Wouldn’t it take Cindy as much time to refer to a comment as to copy and paste it to her new page? Like I said computers are not my thing.
The one thing we can all agree to is helping CIndy and Doug get a little more time.
Uuuuuuggggs to all, Peggy
I fully agree with the majority and think you certainly deserve a couple of days a week off . Some bloggers only blog once a week and many five times a week, rarely every day.
Wow, I love the picture! Our precious Cindy looks really cool…!
I think the Weekendless Proposal is a fantastic idea! I am completely for you guys taking weekends off. I can’t even begin to think how badly you must need this time, and you’re oh, so deserving. You’ve spent two years going & going like Energizer Bunnies; it’s time to take a little time off. (Knowing you guys, you’ll spend the time working on yet another project!) Naw, you need to catch your breath, I’m sure.
Will we miss you & your posts on the weekends? — Yes! But I think we’ll manage just fine yakking with each other & catching up on old posts we were too busy to read before. You needn’t worry about us. Anyone with a polymer “emergency” can leave a comment, and someone will jump right in and help. There’s so much combined experience and talent here in this wonderful clay community. Someone in the group will be able to answer just about anything that comes up. If a newcomer pops in, they will certainly be welcomed, and made to feel at home until you get “back to work.” Your weekend absence will help everyone get caught up on their reading, and hopefully become even more connected to each other.
I’m going to redo the rest of my comments. I just refreshed, and found my paragraphs, including the link to the “Customer Support Tips” article is now obsolete! LOL It’s late, so I’ll pick up tomorrow. (today) Cindy will have the day off, how strange! I hope you’re enjoying your day, Cindy & Doug!
Darn it! I messed up, I’m sorry everyone! I did a couple last-minute changes, and accidentally bolded the text. Forgive me, please!?? I’m off to bed to get some sleep so I don’t make dumb errors like this!
ADDED NOTE: No worries Phaedrakat… all fixed.
I would like to add to my previous comment. First I love the way everyone is feeling the concern for Cindy and family. In this community we have several members who have blogs. Those I have visited by clicking on their names have been wonderful. These could be places we could visit on Saturday and Sunday to begin with and would probably come back to during the week when we have “extra” lol time. This would not create any extra work for anyone and give us our weekend “fix” if we needed one. Just a thought…Happy claying and relaxing everyone.
@Sue F: I actually quite like having a couple of quotes, but find it annoying when there’s a whole load of them like in this post. Especially as I’m one of those people who usually reads everything, comments included, so I’ve usually already familiar with them and I end up skipping over them.
@Joyce M: I like that idea too. How about someone who already writes a blog (and I’m happy to volunteer myself) does a sort of “round up” of the week, with links to blog posts written by members? That way we’ll have something to read at the weekend – we could call it “Cindy Squad Sunday” or something silly and alliterative like that!
Cindy, if I couldn’t have my precious weekends to unwind and just be me I don’t know what I would do. For all the work you do and your prompt responses to my and, I’m sure, other emails, weekends off is so deserving! Enjoy, take off and fear not. From what I can tell from all other bloggers, we are in 100% agreement that blogless weekends is a good idea! Enjoy!
I’m not a daily visitor, more like weekly or a couple times a weeks, so I’m not sure my opinion matters. I am a business owner though, and know that it is important for a creative mind to take some time off and not run themselves too thin. Do what your gut tells you to do, it’s probably the right move. :) Good luck Cindy!!
I agree with Peggy. I enjoy reading the quotes in red, they refresh my short memory…but if it makes things easier for Cindy, I can live without them.
Wowza!!! THANK YOU everyone for your kind and supportive comments. You are all so right about needing to make time for family. The last two years of hard work have been important. But achieving life balance is really the ultimate goal. It seems that cutting out the Saturday and Sunday blog posts is definitely a step in the right direction. So… I guess that makes it official :-)
@Ashlyn: Unfortunately I can’t please everybody all of the time. I write these blog posts to provide value for a wide range of visitors. You said “…I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t find it helpful.” This tells me that at least some of the things I do are beneficial to you. So I feel good about that. Now one thing you probably don’t realize, is that a large segment of visitors here (54.58% to be exact), is made of people who are brand new. Many of them benefit from the “feedback” quotes I include in the articles, as they go through the process of evaluating if this community is place that is going to give them what they are looking for. In a way, it’s similar to how Amazon includes a ton of reader “reviews” at their (enormously successful) ecommerce websites around the world. I go to the effort of posting these quotes at my site in red text, so that it’s easy to skip over them if that’s what you want to do.
@Silverleaf: I think your guest post idea is worth exploring. Thanks for the suggestion. For this type of initiative to be “most” helpful, the articles really should be focused on topics that have been previously discussed here at the blog. It would end up being a huge benefit for the many visitors and members, who for whatever reason, have a difficult time using the search box to look up answers to their polymer clay questions. You would not believe how much time is spent by me and others, responding to questions that have been addressed multiple times in previous articles and comment threads. Creating guest summary posts on specific topics would make it easier for anyone using this blog as a polymer clay reference or resource site. As of right now, there are 795 articles and 14,879 comments that have been published. So there is more than enough material to keep several guest writers going for a long time on 100’s of polymer clay related topics. If anyone is interested send me an email and we can discuss how to make something like this work.
@Phaedrakat: I fixed your comment with the accidental bolding. No worries. Hopefully you got a good night’s (or day’s) sleep in :-)
Absolutely Cindy – 7 days a week is too much unless you have a whole team of people to share the load. Particularly as you take time to make detailed blog posts that are referenced etc.
You know we would all benefit from having a break from reading blogs too -shock horror! It would give us more time to rest, to spend with friends/family and to get creating!
Although I love your blog posts and read them as often as I can (Catch up when I can’t) we would all survive with less, less than 5 even. There is plenty to read here if you need something to do, there’s always new comments etc.
Summary posts would be a great idea for new people and absolutely delegate where you can! What we really need Cindy for is her creative ideas and techniques (our weekly video fix) – let someone else help out with the rest.
Cindy ~ absolutely you should take the weekends off. Weekend are a time to spend with family and friends going out and doing things you enjoy. I agree and know first hand that children grow up when you aren’t looking and the next thing you know they are kissing you good-bye as they go off to……
Think of this too Cindy, when you aren’t posting blogs, we can be using those days to work on the amazing things you have taught us. Personally I find that I spend so much time reading what everyone is talking about that my day flies by and I haven’t touched any clay.
Please add my “yes” vote to you having the weekends off. I pray that you will be blessed with wonderful memories with your family on those days. Thank you so much for everything you do! You AMAZE me!
Cindy, I wondered if you would be able to refrain from stopping by and checking on the results before tomorrow. I am very pleased and happy for you and your family that it is official no Saturday or Sunday blogging for you. Maybe you need to make the rule read no blogging or visiting the blog. As I and everyone else expressed we just want what is best for you and your family. Thank you and your entire family for letting you give us all the time you have in the past. You and Doug are a great team who needs time off just like the rest of us.
Love and Uuuuuggggs, Peggy
You really need to take days off to do what you want to do as to not lose your private time with things YOU want to do as well. Before I was at home full time, I worked 70 or more hours every week for years. It took its toll on me and was not worth it. I was working so much that I lost track of me!!
The videos are my number 1 love about your work, but your ideas and inspirations, lessons, articles are what I like to do just to absorb in to my polymer clay world. I don’t believe any of us would miss those couple of days because you have so much information available 24/7.
I say go for it!
I say most of us like our weekends off so y not you… Take it off from the blog and do oher things…
I’m just thankful that you do what you do for us clay enthusiasts!! If you think 5 days is better for you, then go ahead – I’m just thankful for what you put into your site! Even God took a day off – so do what you gotta do…and thanx again for sharing all of your knowledge!!
Cheryl W.
sounds like a plan!- seems sensible to me
Cindy, I think you should absolutely take the weekends off! Anybody who leaves home to go to their job has two days off, so why shouldn’t you? I would much rather see you take time off the blog than to get so “blogged” down that you no longer enjoy what your doing. You and Doug do all of us a great service, and the blog is like icing on the cake. I would much rather know that you are able to have time with your family than loosing out on things you may never see or do again. So go for it girl, don’t apologize, and don’t feel bad about it. Your first priority is to your family, not us clay junkies. Go. Have fun. Enjoy eachother. And NEVER feel bad about taking care of your family. We all love you and will be here Monday mornings ready to see what you have for us. If you want the honest truth, I rarely read the blog on the weekends because I’m too busy with MY family. Much love to you and Doug and your family.
My weekends are crazy anyway so since I’m responding to this email about 9:00 on Monday night, my answer is pretty clear! Rest your brain, take a deep breath. We will survive!
Cindy, you have to take the weekends off in order to recharge. If not, you’ll burn yourself out completely, and no one wants that to happen. Get some rest girl!
Cindy ,i was just wondering how could you bear all this:)(to work 7 full days),(I think that an artist needs a lot of quiet time for developing their inspiration )Just didn’t know where to put the comment:) I am very happy you started to wonder about the same thing!
Cindy I love your website. Friday has become an exciting gift day for me. The five day schedule would be find. But be careful to spend time with your husband and children outside of the clay. I know how consuming the clay can get, but we only come this way once. Enjoy your family.
I’m glad you decided to take the weekend off from blogging. You definitely need some time, and I hope you take it for yourself and your family.
I love reading all your blogs, but totally understand. Everyone needs some time off to rest and reassess. Thanks for all your support and wonderful new ideas.
Boy!!! That was a long blog!!!! There are a lot of new people!!! Way to go, Cindy and Doug……..Just goes to show you that you must be doing something very, very GREAT. All the talented and creative people that belong to this community will take over for you on the weekends because they love the both of you so much. My vote is yes without reserve. You both certainly deserve the weekend off. It must feel great to be loved by so many people. I haven’t been around for a while and haven’t been claying either so I have a lot of catching up to do. Love you Both, Honey
@Honey Sperring: Nice to see you, Honey! These weekends should give you a little extra time to catch up on your reading. We’ve missed you around here! Don’t wait too long to get back into claying, though. Just pick one project that looks fun and jump right in! ~Kat
Family first! You deserve that and I think we all can only benefit from you having these days for yourself and family!
Also, I would love to see a stand alone tutorial on the lanyard project and also have you ever thought of doing one (tutorial) on the encased hearts I keep seeing and hearing about? They are really quite beautiful and unique.
Oh, Kat, your such a great person!!! It’s great hearing from you, too. You care about everyone in this community and that’s what makes it such a warm, welcoming, site to belong to. Everyone is great here, but you stand out. I know I’ll get back into it. I love claying and just have to get back into it. Thanks, Kat……..Honey
You work so hard Cindy. I hope you do go to 5 days. I hope you will try to get some family time in those two extra days. GO FOR IT!!!
I have to admit that I do not read your blog daily. I usually catch up on Friday after watching the weekly video. I get my fill once a week so I would not really miss your weekend input. You shouldn’t be working seven days a week anyway. When I do too much of the same thing, I begin to resent it. You need to enjoy what you are doing and you need to take a rest from it at least one day a week, hopefully two.
Janet in Visalia, CA
Yours seems like a good plan. Hopefully this change will allow you and Doug to have more family time in addition to your plan to develop new posts/tutorials. Thank you for all you do!
Cheryl in Knoxville
I can not believe you have been able to keep up all this time.
You need your weekends off!
Don’t want to loose you to overload!
Enjoy the weekends :0)
As someone that has her own blog/s ..and reads many of them.. I am in full agreement with Sue F (a message nearer the top of this very long list) that blogging should be spontaneous.. certainly not every day.. just when the need arises, or you WANT to.
You have a life, a family, friends and an outside world to enjoy and there is already an active community here that can cope with reading each others inspirations when you are not here. I think that part of this site is wonderful.
I have to say that I am in agreement with the few that mentioned the bold highlights of comments of others in messages. I realise that many are new here… but they must already know how great the place is by the activity and the comments by the community itself. Its not a review site after all, its a blog-space and to me at least, that is a different thing entirely.
I love this place and the way it works.. but want you and your husband to have a life too! You being fresh, devoted and happy in your work here, it was counts the most.. and you run the risk (over the years) of suffering ‘burn out’ otherwise.. and we wouldnt want that! At all!
So, you go for it.. even if it came down to three times a week…(or much less).. you would not find me complaining!
GOOD FOR YOU! Love Michelle x