2/16/2015

Back from the hairdresser

29

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.



29 comments:

  1. 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.
    xx, Carol

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    1. [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!

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  2. Christie , 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

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    1. Yes, lots of memories from the beauty parlor ... me, too. My mom loved to go - me, not so much. I hated having my hair brushed!

      Thanks for kind words, bodil, much appreciated.

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  3. 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!

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    1. just 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"

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    2. Ok 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.

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  4. Replies
    1. Many thanx, Connie ... the time was nigh. And I hope I don't have to do it for another 5 years ;>]]

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  5. I 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!!!

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    1. oh 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 .............

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  6. yay! you rock girlfriend. the place looks awesome. xo

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    1. ... if I rock it's only cuz your dance music was so well choreographed.
      You da bestest.

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  7. 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).

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    1. Thanks 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.

      In 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 - "

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  8. 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!

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    1. Heh CB, thanks - very appreciative for thumb's up! I'll see if I can fit in a cozy wing-backed chair over here ;>]]

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  9. Gorgeous! Hazel was trying to stomp on the keyboard in agreement. :)

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    1. Thanks for the kind words, Deb, and a compliment indeed from Hazel.

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  10. I love the new look, Christi. It's really lovely!

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    1. Many thanks, Michelle ... so pleased to have you stop by & view the housekeeping ;>]

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  11. Hi 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.

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    1. We'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!!

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  12. Replies
    1. Was great fun searching them out!
      thanks epocktextiles.

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  13. 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!

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    1. Mary 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.

      You 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!!

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  14. Replies
    1. Thanks, Ruth .... I had a fabulous time researching to find the old-timey photos, super fun.

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