WomenBloom is a web community created by Allison Allen in August 2007 with the goal of inspiring and supporting women to ‘bloom’ in mid-life. 

Our generation of women stands at a unique intersection of Possibility and Challenge.  We come to mid-life with better health, more skills, more options and varying circumstances than ever before.   Along with the positives, however, often come complicated changes in families and relationships, our bodies, and our self-identity.  

To address both the possibilities and the challenges of our 'second adulthood', WomenBloom:

-- Provides intelligent, substantive information, resources, interaction and commentary on issues that affect mid-life women, such as the ways we are redefining relationships, care giving, economic independence, new models for retirement, and remaining relevant in the workplace as we age, among many other topics.

-- Highlights and explores the many cool things mid-life women are thinking and doing as we ‘do a makeover’ of what it means to be a woman at the center of her life
 

WomenBloom captures the shared wisdom of our members.  We encourage you to add your ‘women’s wisdom’ in any of the following ways:

-- Let us know if you or a woman you know has an inspirational story to share with our members about a success they’ve had or challenge they’ve overcome.

-- Participate in our forums and discussions

-- Submit an essay, letter, or poem for publication

-- Send us or post on the forums comments and suggestions about what you’d like to see on the site

About Allison:

Allison conceived the idea of WomenBloom while pondering what this whole mid-life thing meant to the second half of her life. As her friends will tell you (hopefully fondly), she talks her way through her issues.  In the process of sharing her questions and thoughts with women around her, she noticed they all had lots of passion, and plenty to say about the subject. 

Sometimes it was positive—‘life is good, it’s the best ever’; sometimes it wasn’t—‘menopause is killing me here’.  The constant was, they all had strong feelings about it how ever they were experiencing it.  

She also noticed the embarrassment of many women as they shared their experiences.  They seemed to think they were the only ones dealing with an issue.  Because she was talking with many women, Allison knew that absolutely was not the case.

Voila!  The concept of WomenBloom was born.  

A community where women have a safe place to inspire and support each other by sharing their mid-life experiences, concerns, and accomplishments.  An excuse for Allison to do the two things she loves best:  connect women to each other with the intention of enhancing their mid-life experience; snoop around for cool ideas, inspiration, resources, and products to keep us bloomin’ strong!    

Artist-In-Residence: Curlin Sullivan Reed

curlin reed sullivan creates her fine art prints, gifts, greeting cards and handmade ceramic vases in her pippingtooth studio in austin, texas.

her witty botanical illustrations begin with fresh flowers from the garden and combine a variety of mediums ranging from watercolors, fresh flowers, photography, a smidge of computer spiffing and ceramics. she created her new line of vases so her collectors can share in the fun of playing & creating flowery, twiggy characters.

curlin's work is in private collections in the u.s., england, sweden, france, and canada. to see more of her art visit:

http://  www.curlinreedsullivan.com