"Clean up, clean up! Everybody everywhere! Clean up! Clean up! Everybody do your share!"
Now it's stuck in my head . . .
And probably stuck in yours . . .
You're welcome.
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| The blog wasn't the only thing that got cleaned up today |
Every once in a while, I get this sudden itch to reformat the blog.
It will hit me late at night, just as I'm starting to drift off, and half-conscious me is like, "Oh my gosh! Great idea! We'll move this and this aaaaaandd zzzzzzzz . . . "
Unfortunately, what you fall asleep thinking about, you usually wake up thinking about.
So, for HOURS I edit and upload a snazzy new background, change around some colors and images, and then . . . in the end . . . I sigh and reload the old format.
The one that I've basically had since my junior year of college when my blog was still on Xanga (gosh, anyone use Xanga anymore???)
I'm trying to decide if this is a case of "Leave well-enough alone" or "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
I'm desperately hoping it's the former.
We did update a few things:
- Transferred my reading list over to Bloglovin'
It's taken me a couple weeks to get used to the Bloglovin' format, and now I really enjoy it. I love that it's easily accessible on both my computer and as a smartphone app. However, it seems that posts I like or read on my phone don't seem to translate to my account when it's on PC. Anyone else experience this? - Switched up the Topics menu
Changed it from labeled photographs to an ombre sidebar. Loving how crisp this looks! Plus it's blue . . . I love blue . . . You don't understand my love for blue . . . Well, maybe you do . . . It's good stuff, blue. - New Header
Loved my header with the little bubble pictures of Chris and I, but in an attempt to streamline things, I felta bit out of place.
So we're trying simple colored text for now. The way I see it, if I have a bright blog background, do I really need a bright header? Hm, maybe not. Let's see how long this lasts . . . - Cleaned up the sidebar
Yep. Lots of stuff has been sent away.
I'm thinking about allowing adverts there instead? I know I'm not a really popular blog (ok, so I'm pretty much unknown . . . all right FINE completely unknown), so spots would be free. I'd want to do a sponsor feature every month to give some lovely peeps some publicity.
Plus, I mean, seriously, what a fun way to meet people :]
Any thoughts on that idea?
I love all the crisp, minimalist blog designs that are so popular now. They're popular for a reason! They're clean, crisp, and easy to maneuver. There's no wading through oodles of pictures, blinkies, bright colors, or distractions. It's BOOM!!! Here's what I have to say, read about me here, and here's how to find me and other peeps. THE END.
I've tried the minimalist design a couple of times . . . and they just always felt too . . . mellow? simple? It felt like I had seen someone in this AWESOME outfit and decided to wear it myself, but once I tried it on it just didn't fit. That doesn't mean the outfit wasn't great to begin with; it just didn't look right on me.
I NEED a pop of color. I need something a little lively. I keep trying to inch towards the minimalist look, but we're not there quite yet.
I've always really enjoyed messing around with webdesign. I'm not at all what I would call a designer--I don't have the tools to create images and wouldn't know where to start if I did. I can't rattle off html codes as if they were my ABCs (I mean, I know a few, but I can't create that from scratch at ALL). Still, it's pretty fun for a novice :] I guess the blog will just always be a "work-in-progress."
Those of you that sell blog designs:
How did you get into it? Are there any programs you recommend? Is it still a fun hobby?
What do you think?
Should I add free adverts for other blogs on my sidebar?
Or should I leave it alone since I don't currently attract heavy readership?
How did you get into it? Are there any programs you recommend? Is it still a fun hobby?
What do you think?
Should I add free adverts for other blogs on my sidebar?
Or should I leave it alone since I don't currently attract heavy readership?
I have no love, at ALL, for anything related to blog design. I'll just stick to the writing, the actual computer stuff feels like torture to me. But there are quite a few bloggers I know who really like changing up their own blogs. I do like looking at minimalist-type designs, but I also feel that they're really not me. I don't think my blog needs to be all blinking and buzzing...but I'm so not a minimalist type person in real life, and I don't think I would recognize my blog if it were. :P
ReplyDeleteAnd I just went over to your Yours Truly page for the first time in a while...I remembered some of the things you said but I forget about the bright blue hair! Did you ever see any pictures from when I had a bright blue streak in my hair? It was like...in january or February I think. I loved it so, so much. I also really like my natural hair color, I'd never give it up for any color other than something like bright purple or blue. Bright blue I loved so, so much, even when I see pictures of me from that time I love it so much, but no one of my family liked it. :P
I love clean, crisp designs too! I don't know what your blog looked like before, but it definitely looks fantastic now. :) As for adverts, I tend to find like-minded bloggers and trade ad space with them. That way, I'm always finding blogs I actually enjoy reading. No money involved! Just a thought. :)
ReplyDelete