Blogger Interview # 41: Alissa Apel

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your blog? 

My name is Alissa Apel. I'm a graphic arts instructor in Omaha, Nebraska. I was raised in Omaha, received my BFA at Kansas City Art Institute and my MFA at Savannah College of Art and Design. I met my husband while attending Kansas City Art Institute. We were friends for six years before we were serious about one another. My husband is a sculptor, jewelry designer, dental technician, basically a man of many trades. He has his own blog here. We have two busy boys. Mica is almost six. He will start kindergarten in the fall. Mica is serious about his play, loves to color and full of sound effects. Isaak is three. He will start preschool in the fall. Isaak is sensitive, cute and can test our nerves because he is three.

I started the blog: The Apels first. I simply just used our last name; not really thinking anyone would read it other then close family and friends. I soon got interested in other blogs just by surfing the internet. Many I still read today. Our family blog:The Apels is still my number one blog. Family is so very important to me. I pour out stories of what my kids do and say. I write in it most every day. Now that I know more and more people read it; it was important to me to change it's title to something more catching. Planet of the Apels is this blogs new name.

I love to write and create. Some of my creations I call Cookie Art. I started a blog to record my art and baking. It was a fun thing to do. Art is in my background. I love taking photo's. Collage is a fun outlet. I love the design aspect of any blog I've created.

When I started blogging I was a new mom to my second child. I had literally breastfed both of my children for two years. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. My oldest son was born with a cyst under his tongue, which lead to a mis-shaped tongue; making breastfeeding challenging to say the least. Many mom's would have given up. I decided to pursue. It wasn't easy at first. I had a few days where all I could do was cry. Since I went through many challenges, was seeing new baby products on the market all the time, I started the blog Milking the Issue. Many people in my life were asking me for mom advice. I found an outlet to reach out to new mothers. I no longer breastfeed, but I write in this blog often.

Last year I found out that the birth of my second son and breaking my foot caught up to me weight wise. I'm at risk for diabetes. I started the blog called Finding Me Again. This blog is very much the opposite of Cookie Art. I still make cookies, but they go to our work's to eat. On Finding Me Again I focus on eating healthy, fast walking daily and things that I like.


2. Are you a full time blogger? 

I'm a full time blogger, mother, wife, housekeeper and teacher. I'm not always perfect at all of them. It's a busy world.

3. How did you get into blogging and why? 

I started blogging once my second child was born. It was an alternative way to record everything new that happened in my little one's life. It's a modern baby book. When my youngest son got meningitis I found blogging to be not only a recording device, but also a way to vent my frustrations. 

4. If someone was interested in blogging, what would be a few things you would suggest? 

Be willing to put the time in to make it a success. Don't expect people to come to your blog. You have to reach out and make comments on other blogs. Try and reply when someone leaves you a comment. Follow people back. Make sure you always have a disclaimer at the bottom of your blog to state that the opinions on your blog are from you. Also that you are not paid to write any of the posts. 

5. How do you build a community around a blog and social media? 

I'm still working on this one. I'd like to go to events, but I'm not sure which ones are the best. I do have bloggy friends. People that comment on my blog, and I comment back.
6. What are your three favorite blogs to read? 

Sorry, I can't narrow it down to three!

Go Graham Go
Jolly Mom
What I Did Today
My Organized Chaos
A Nut in a Nutshell
My Baby's Green
Nie Nie
My Wee View
Two of a Kind Working on a Full House


7. What makes those blogs special? 

I like them because they are personal, keep going, clean, functional and in most cases write back. 

8. Which one plugin would you suggest all bloggers to have? 

If you have WordPress, the one to make comments go faster! Uggg! Even with that it takes awhile to make comments.