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BigBlendMagazines.com Mission Statement

"BigBlendMagazines.com is a company based on the belief that education is the most formidable weapon that can be waged against fear, ignorance and prejudice. It is our belief that education starts at home and branches outward. Education leads to travel, and travel leads to understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of cultures and customs different to our own, and ultimately to world peace. Our company is further based on the principle that networking, communication, and helping others to promote and market themselves leads to financial stability; thus paving the way to better education, travel, and the spirit of giving back to the community."

About The Editors

Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, owners and operators of  Big Blend Magazines,are a mother and daughter team that started working together over 20 years ago.

It all began when Nancy, a successful wildlife artist, writer, and photographer, led tours from Los Angeles to Kenya, East Africa. This ultimately led to her moving to Kenya - bringing a young one ½ year old Lisa along - and working out in the field for writer and conservationist Joy Adamson, of 'Born Free' fame. Nancy was the past editor of the "Born Free" newsletter and wrote conservation articles for other publications throughout the early seventies. Unfortunately, Joy Adamson was murdered, and the unrest in Kenya made it time for a change. Nancy and Lisa relocated to England, and toured Scotland, England and Wales on a fundraising and conservation awareness effort for World Wild Life Fund, using Nancy's wildlife paintings (samples in slide show) and photography. Nancy and Lisa then did a fund raising tour for the National Cancer Association of South Africa.

They settled in South Africa where they started a magazine called 'Splash!' - a travel, lifestyle and leisure publication. Eventually, due to political pressure, they left South Africa and returned home to California.

Once in California, it wasn't long before the old 'publishing bug' took over, and in 1997, Big Blend Magazine was born. Since then, Nancy and Lisa have enjoyed traveling throughout the country and Mexico, and have published regional coloring-in / activity books for children, a print magazine called 'The Blend Magazine' which grew into 'Southwest Blend Magazine', becoming, ultimately  The Big Blend Magazine. This magazine grew in size and readership until it was split into ten online magazines that carry their own online radio shows and video interviews.

Living in East Africa and working for Joy Adamson of "Born Free Fame," gave me the opportunity to study wildlife up-close and personal in their natural habitat. I have always been concerned with the destruction of our planet and the disregard for the place on earth that our wildlife should have. I have used my paintings mostly as a way to raise funds for various causes, including a two year speaking tour throughout England, Scotland and Wales on behalf of World Wildlife Fund; and a two year+ tour throughout South Africa on behalf of the National Cancer Association of South Africa.

Lisa was raised in Kenya, England and South Africa, having left the states at 1½ years old. Her lifestyle in these countries has given her a very open and inquiring mind, a love for travel, wildlife and natural places, and a passion to protect our planet and it's inhabitants. She is a keen photographer, a musician, songwriter and singer, a writer, editor, and is the "social secretary" or marketing director of Big Blend Magazine.

Her love of music led her to starting a band, "Human Spirit" that played in the San Diego area for 3 years, until the time constraints of running a magazine requiring a lot of travel, made it impossible to do both. Now, as co-host to Champagne Sundays, she loves to interview other musicians and give them the opportunity to be heard. A sample of Lisa’s music is below - she is the song writer and lead vocalist.