A few weeks ago I wrote this post about yearning for a fresh *new* look for this blog,
but never did I imagine ending up with a complete and total makeover ...
haircut, styling, manicure, facial, makeup ... the whole kit & caboodle.
Early on, after trying to tweak and twist and colorize a new template into
anything that might resemble the word appealing, I realized
I was just no good at blog design at all and there was no handbook available to help me -
at least, not one I could decipher.
Sometimes it can be very good to speak up online ...
After apologizing for the mess I was making and confessing my angst
in the Comments section of this post, in came an incredibly kind and generous response:
"Extending my hand ... should you wish to take it. xo"
Enter miz Jen
~ photographer unknown, 1940s beauty school lesson ~
who, as it turns out, is a very skilled & excellent teacher in all things web-based.
We "met" years ago in an online photography course but I have only known her
as an artist and had no idea the extent of her other skills
as a former Web Design and Marketing maestro.
Well, I grabbed onto that hand and held on tight through this entire wild ride !
~ photographer unknown, hairdryer from the 1920s ~
It's really her fault that I became totally undone re-done for she encouraged me
to take a peek at the freebie templates available for Blogger these days ...
just to get design ideas ... and oh my, what a slippery slope was that.
She did warn me that it was gonna make my head spin ...
~ photo by JUCO for Fashion Rogue ~
I saw lots of styles that just weren't me.
And I had lots of separation anxiety about leaving my old, comfy blog space.
My new spot needed to feel welcoming, kinda relaxed ...
~ photographer unknown, open-air beauty salon, Cannes, France 1958 ~
but not too far out there.
~ outdoor hairdressing, Finchley Road, London 1961, photographer unknown ~
Most of all, I wanted it to remain welcoming for all my special friends.
~ boy & dachshund 1920, photographer unknown ~
Never in a million years would I have imagined a day coming when html
no longer felt like an insurmountable foreign language.
It has been worth the headaches.
I sure hope all of you will feel it was worth the wait.
Heartfelt thanks for your patience and all the feedback you left earlier
as a guide.
Please explore a bit. Old stuff is in new places. There are pages up top
containing a whole bunch of links & swell places to visit ...
my blogroll has moved up there, along with a direct link to my Instagram gallery.
As always, I'd love to hear from you in Comments.
~ Ladies at the Hairdressers, photo by Philip Townsend, London 1960s ~
To my awesomely patient, clear, concise, helpful & fabulous hand-holding teacher ...
Jen, CHEERS to you, gal.
Couldn't have done it without ya.
What a surprise!! I had to look to be sure I was in the right place. The new you is very clean and sharp. I am techno challenged and don't tweek my blog much. Such a time consumer! Thanks for keeping your co-pilot. I always look for him.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
[giggling] I did wonder if that might happen to someone, Carol, have done that myself from time to time. And ..... am not sure I'm happy with my co-pilot at the bottom of the page - just might have to move her up the sidebar a bit because after all, she is my co-pilot and not a backseat driver ;>]] Thanks heaps for your visits here!
DeleteChristie , funny old pictures from i was a young girl , gratulation with your new hair and make up , design , seems so clear and fine , great work
ReplyDeleteYes, lots of memories from the beauty parlor ... me, too. My mom loved to go - me, not so much. I hated having my hair brushed!
DeleteThanks for kind words, bodil, much appreciated.
love the new format Christi but on a Mac with OSX.9.5 in Firefox I had to zoom out 5 times to get it to fit on the screen!
ReplyDeletejust had another look and your new format is coming through at the right size now must have been a glitch in my computer, enjoyed the links in "worth the read"
DeleteOk good, so glad it was only a *hiccup* [altho I'm half expecting them to show up]. Good to get feedback how it's reading on each person's glowing box/tablet. Thanks for writing in & your visits here, Mo.
DeleteLooks great! Wonderful re-do.
ReplyDeleteMany thanx, Connie ... the time was nigh. And I hope I don't have to do it for another 5 years ;>]]
DeleteI am astounded!!! This is wonderful and I'm so excited to see it. Love the layout, the photo's - everything. I especially love the header with the lovely displays of your work (play). Fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteoh thank you, my long time Blog pal ... appreciate your perspective very much since we've been hangin' together all these years. Here's to years more 'PLAY' ! thanx again , Penny .............
Deleteyay! you rock girlfriend. the place looks awesome. xo
ReplyDelete... if I rock it's only cuz your dance music was so well choreographed.
DeleteYou da bestest.
I absolutely love it... crisp, clean, and yet somehow modern and up-to-date looking. It's great! (one minor thing and this goes more to my eyes than your design, on my PC the type font is a teeny bit small).
ReplyDeleteThanks much for feedback, Dee. Have wondered about font size myself because the readability on my end is quite different between desktop & iPad ...iPad being much easier to read by comparison, as if the template was made to be read on smaller viewers. Am learning so much - there's sure to be further tweaking.
DeleteIn the meantime, here's a hint I learned recently: anyone can enlarge the font size of a web page by hitting "command +" [actually "command, shift key, +"] Give it a try! I use that option a lot at the end of the day when my eyes are real tired. Oh, and to back out of it, hit "command - "
Sweet Pea Path...always a fun place to visit; enjoyed your story of how the path came to be. She's easy to navigate and certainly a feast for sore eyes!
ReplyDeleteHeh CB, thanks - very appreciative for thumb's up! I'll see if I can fit in a cozy wing-backed chair over here ;>]]
DeleteGorgeous! Hazel was trying to stomp on the keyboard in agreement. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, Deb, and a compliment indeed from Hazel.
DeleteI love the new look, Christi. It's really lovely!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Michelle ... so pleased to have you stop by & view the housekeeping ;>]
DeleteHi Christi, it looks great! It's clear and easy to navigate...inspirational. I like especially how much the new layout really accentuates the images. Love seeing Isla...Gilly gives a wag of approval.
ReplyDeleteWe're still trying to settle into all this newness. It's a bit like being hesitant to put ones feet up on the new sofa! Made all the more comfy tho by having old friends stop by. Pats to Gilly!!
Deletelove the accompanying photos
ReplyDeleteWas great fun searching them out!
Deletethanks epocktextiles.
I do like the new look. I admit I was fretful about change, but it's bright and fun. I'm techno challenged myself, and don't feel like I have "enough" to have a blog of my own, but I greatly enjoy wandering various paths..that's how I came to be here, wandering over from ArtPropelled about 4 years ago. Love how you've sent me wandering since then! (One example--I'm a cat person myself, but I love Buster's blog and I check in to see what he's been up to!) So: thumbs up! And nod to Jen Worden, too. Well done--inspiring, even!
ReplyDeleteMary Jo, how very kind of you - thanks, a tremendous amount, for leaving your thoughts & kind words ... I really appreciate it. And I'm thrilled to bits you visit here after all this time.
DeleteYou check in on Buster, how wonderful ! Isn't he just a darling - I get such a kick out of his life as a NYC dog ;>]
Thanks again. If you ever DO decide to have a blog, please let me know. I'll visit!!
Love-Love this post. What fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ruth .... I had a fabulous time researching to find the old-timey photos, super fun.
Delete