Because if it is, that’s what I’ve been up to the last few days.
Yep, re-designing the blog. Again.
I sorta like doing it and sorta don’t. It’s not something that comes naturally to me. I’m not computer savvy at all. If anything, I am computer UN-savvy. HTML is like Spanish to me. I can sorta understand it. I can say a few key words but those are the only ones I will ever truly know and use. Otherwise I’m like a chicken in a pig pen. And the last few days with the Adobe Photoshop program… Let’s just say I’m lucky to still have a few clumps of hair. Like, what is with the pen tool anyway?
Note to the makers of Photoshop:
For the love of Gord, please re-name the pen tool. It works nothing like a pen so why do you call it that?… Oh I get it. This is a humorous joke to you. You all sit there in your cushy leather swivel chairs with your fancy iPads and your million Facebook friends twittering at us whilst we break our heads trying to use a pen that’s not a pen. Funny. Good one.
Luckily I like the outcome. I like my new “social media icons” (All 2 of them… I’m anti-social). I’m also fond of the new little sidebar elements especially this next one.
Spent a lot of time on this version of it (and liked it) but had to reject it because it just didn’t work in the context of the rest of the sidebar.
That sorta thing happens a lot with me. Yeah… I’m a trial-and-error kinda girl. There have been many many iterations of several of these blog elements to get to the final products. I guess these things take time.
One thing I do like is including my real actual crafts into the blog design. See the little green pincushion in the header? That’s this pincushion I made out of toilet rolls. And you know the “Fave Crafts” and “Friends & Family” sidebar elements? I used the following junk mail collage in those.
Unfortunately sometime between starting the revamp and now, my sidebar Search gadget decided to take its own life. I’m going to have to email someone… *sigh*.
But hopefully I’ll soon have a blog design that I can live with (and works) for the next several months. That would be nice.
Do you do your own blog design? If you have any comments or suggestions, I’m all ears!
Now I’m off to get some air and say hello to the garden. Have a great weekend! I’ll see you Monday!
It's looking great…I wish I had access to photo shop so I could play like you do. Good luck!
Very much loving the use of your creations in the graphics – that is so amazing and cool! My hat comes off to anyone brave enough to design her own blog – HTML is nothing like Spanish to me, more like cuneiform or Venusian.
Everything looking gorgeous, and my favorite thing is the little light bulb!!!
It certainly is the thing and you are very good at it! I like the looks of the side bar! Did you documented the process to share a tip or make a tutorial for us??
In January I meddled with htmls and other stuff to expand my blog and I used this blogger's tutorials to make it:
http://bkjohnfamily.blogspot.com/
I would love to have you fix mine up! I want to make a double column and can't figure it out for the life of me! Looks good Michele.
I like the new design very much, and I have wanted to figure out how to make nifty, uniform sidebar icons for ages. It looks very pro. Way to persevere Michele! I think I might be able to wrangle my son into helping me navigate Photo shop (or just have him do it for me!). Really, he's a untapped resource and I've fed him enough meals. He owes me.
I really love your new look Michele. I wish I could do those things too. But, I don't have any of those programs to play with. Another one of those things I need to add to my list. LOL!!! But you do amazing work and I'll drool a bit over here for a while. Hugs Ariane
Oh my goodness…. if an uncomputer savvy can do that….. it looks great… sadly I am less savvy than uncomputer savvy ….
Hugz
I like the new design very much Michele!
I design websites for customers, but I have never felt tempted to make my blog into a real designed one.
I’m like the carpenter who never makes anything for his family, or the painter whoose house can do with a make-over.
Love the new look and the way you've incorporated bits of your projects – very cool. It could just be me, but I'm finding the text a tad too pale to read easily – not a criticism mind you, just thought it's best to be honest. My sidebar search gadget has quit too! Same with the nav search bar at the top. I've been SEARCHing for a fix and asked twice at the help forum with no responses yet. If you find a solution, please share. Thanks Michelle!
It looks nice, Michele! I especially like the little flowers to the right, before the "Any Questions?" and category list. Thanks for including me among your Friends and Family!
: )
Aaahaa,what a smart design,like it..love it..its so sweet of you that you have listed me under your friends & family sidebar…now i am going to write you an e-mail..wait!!!!
well overall look is gorgeous..wish you lots of success!!!
Love it!!! So clean and happy looking. And I agree about the pen tool –very poorly named indeed!
I'm always tinkering with my set up, but now I think Im holding off…I saw the backend of a wordpress blog and feel stunted by blogger. If I ever have the guts for a proper convert, theres no telling what visual carnage will be left behind.
Anyhoot –again–love the new look!!!
love love love the new look! was just really thinking i need to work on the look of my blog to make it more clean and then i come upon your gorgeous re-design to really inspire me!
I love what you have done with your design and how it incorporates your work. The "social media icons" are fun too. Sadly, I don't have any tips to share as I am wingin' it at I suppose a blogger's basic level. [ My family can't believe I have a blog because so I am so tech unsavvy! ]
I had the time now to take a closer look at all the details and think about the impression I get from your new design (and tried to stay neutral and not too think that this is your blog 😉 ).
I have to say I really like the clean and straight design which is opened with the playfullness of the colours 🙂
I also love the ornamental flower! And the light grey and green go so well together. Sophisticated and also playful 🙂
What would you call the Pen tool instead? You do draw with it, after all…
I love the clean look of your blog, and the bits of green really give it sparkle! I've got too much garbage in my sidebar, and it isn't going away any time soon – it's part of being a networked crafter, I think.
Your blog is looking so nice and fresh! I think you're a little more tech savy than you think. I think I need to learn how to photoshop
I LOVE the new blog design. It is as beautiful and fascinating as you and your work.