Some days things just don’t go right.
I had a nifty schedule of post subjects all written up, ready to be consulted so I could post every day for two whole weeks. But we have been teaching my oldest daughter a few basics about using the computer, and apparently I had not been careful to log off when I finished. As far as we can tell, she dragged several folders to the trash and deleted them. It included blog stuff, recipes that I had accumulated over the last five years, and other things that we will only discover as we miss them.
Boo hoo.
You may have noticed I have gussied up the blog a bit. I read the comments at BooMama’s on this post, and when I saw how many people refused to read a blog that wasn’t pretty, I think I made a sound like “Yawp!” I decided I had better get crackin’ on beautifying the place.
I switched around the fonts and chose a color scheme. The banner photo on the homepage is a collection of books and crayons. If you click on an individual post, the banner photo is Sweetpea’s foot in a sandbox. If you click on the About or Blogroll pages, the banner photo is the bottom of a rocky pool. All of those are ideas I got from you, my lovely readers.
I tried to take some pictures of crackers, but have you ever tried to get a decent picture of a saltine? Definitely beyond my skill.
Toddled Dredge has always made me think of the hot toddies that Az the Husband made for me one month when I had a horrible throat thing that would not go away. Honey, lemon and scotch, warm and sliding over my raw and ragged throat - it was the closest I think I have ever come as an adult to the soothing comfort of mother’s milk. So I wanted those colors - amber and sand and toast and orange like a crackling fire.
So let me know if you have any trouble with the pages loading or with the way they show up on your browser. I still have not settled on an avatar, and I may do a little tweaking, but this is basically the look of the blog for the foreseeable future. Let me know what you think.
31 responses so far ↓
1 chickadee // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:08 pm
i read blogs in a reader so i rarely remember what they look like in person. i read you for the writing.
2 Shannon // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:12 pm
I love the headers. Your blog has always seemed very clean and easy to read to me.
3 Meghan // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:22 pm
I LOVE the new look of your blog……and I also read you for the writing! It’s great!
4 JulieC // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:26 pm
I think your blog is very attractive and visually easy to follow, but I read it for your writing, too. Actual content is way more important to me than layout.
I have some friends who are webpage designers, and they are much more snobbish about such things than I am.
Sweetpea’s foot in the sand is the cutest thing ever, though!
5 jolyn // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I also don’t usually look at your real site as I go through google reader. For me once I’m hooked on a blogger I couldn’t really care less what their site looks like: it’s all about the writing. But now that I’m here — is that your own photography with your personal books and crayons?
6 Veronica Mitchell // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Jolyn, Yes. It took me almost fifty pictures to get one I sort of liked. I chose those particular books for their color and texture.
7 Melanie at BeanPaste // Jun 20, 2008 at 12:29 am
I think it looks really lovely around here, and I am one of THOSE PEOPLE who enjoy a pretty package.
Well done, you.
8 Sue // Jun 20, 2008 at 12:38 am
I love it. I love the crayon header so very much.
I’m not very patiently waiting my turn in line for a makeover at my place. I’ve resisted the whole idea that visual appeal is important, but apparently, tis so.
9 Minnesotamom // Jun 20, 2008 at 1:39 am
As “design-y” as I think I am, I’m willing to overlook aesthetics if the content is fantastic. But I love what you’ve done!
My blog is same ol’, same ol’ and boring, but I think the canned theme I chose actually reflects me very well. Someday, someday I will update.
Did you know they do so much marketing research on book cover design that a person should be able to tell just by the SPINE that they will like it? I imagine some people choose blogs in much the same way…
10 JulieC // Jun 20, 2008 at 1:58 am
Wait a minute here. What books and crayons? I see purple flowers, Sweetpea’s cute foot, or stones. Why am I not seeing what everyone else is?
Or is this just a plot to make me think I’ve finally gone ’round the bend? I’m using Firefox, not Internet Explorer.
OK, I just looked at it in IE, and now I see the books! Cool! (How odd that it looks different to me in Firefox.)
11 seven // Jun 20, 2008 at 2:18 am
So cute! I love the new look.
12 rahraht // Jun 20, 2008 at 2:41 am
It looks lovely - And it DOES matter how it looks!
Baby feet are soo sweet. The first picture I took as a new aunt was of my niece’s feet. I thought I was odd, but apparently I’m not the only one who can’t resist.
13 The Razzler // Jun 20, 2008 at 5:03 am
I think it looks lovely. I love the books and crayons picture, and the one of your little one’s foot.
14 Jeana // Jun 20, 2008 at 7:39 am
I love it, and it cracks me up that you patterned it after a Hot Toddy.
Maybe try Cheez-its next time?
15 brother // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:23 am
Veronica
Scotch for a sore throat? I prefer Reese’s peanut butter cups
brother
16 gretchen from lifenut // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:54 am
I really love the new look. Clean, thoughtful, and warm.
My husband made several hot toddies for me this past winter when I had a sore throat, except he used Jack Daniels. They worked.
17 Dawn // Jun 20, 2008 at 9:06 am
The topic of people not reading blogs unless they are pretty is interesting to me since I hardly ever go to actual blogs any more. It’s all about using a reader for me now. So I was glad to be reminded by your post to take a moment and go enjoy someone’s creative and thoughtful endeavor. I love the clean lines and colors. And I always have liked your banner pictures.
18 Adventures In Babywearing // Jun 20, 2008 at 9:10 am
I love simplicity and definitely am not fans of blogs that are downright ugly, but over cluttered and over designed are no fun, too. I think you have a perfect balance!
Steph
19 andrea_jennine // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:31 am
Nicely done!
20 Beck // Jun 20, 2008 at 11:14 am
I sometimes will pass by blogs that are too fussy…
I saw the books and crayons yesterday. Today I’m seeing a sweet little fat foot.
On the negative side, I find this font hard to see in Internet Explorer. This might not be something you can fix, though.
21 Mad // Jun 20, 2008 at 11:44 am
People won’t read blogs unless they are pretty? Really? I sometimes won’t read a blog if the writing isn’t pretty but as long as the blogger can wow me with words and ideas I don’t really care what the blog looks like. That’s not to say I don’t like prettiness… Prettiness is a good thing as are books and crayons but it’s all about the writing in the end, isn’t it?
22 NOBLE PIG // Jun 20, 2008 at 12:00 pm
You know you can restore your computer to a previous day so that everything would be there….my hubby does it all the time
Start menu
All Programs
Accessories
System Tools
System Restore
Pick a Restore Date
Done!
23 Robbin // Jun 20, 2008 at 4:05 pm
That’s funny, because I read everything on RSS feed, and I don’t really notice the formats.
I am always a little shocked when I go to blogs I haven’t been to in a while, except on feed, and the themes have all changed.
24 Emily // Jun 20, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Everything looks good to me (I use Firefox). I usually read blogs in Google Reader (RSS is a wonderful thing) but sometimes I pop over to leave a comment, and I always like the way your blog looks. You have a nice, clean, sort of minimalist approach that I find very appealing. Of course, what keeps me coming back is the writing.
25 bea // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:23 pm
How I love the crayon header.
26 Thea // Jun 21, 2008 at 12:43 am
Looking sharp! I love the new banner photo.
27 chaotic joy // Jun 21, 2008 at 12:59 am
I LOVE THIS. And I love how much thought you put into representing yourself. I always come here via Google.reader and just click on an individual post so when I commented on liking your banner I was commenting on the foot in the sand. Who knew there was all the rest? The books and the crayons? Perfect.
28 JulieC // Jun 21, 2008 at 7:28 pm
This morning I still saw purple flowers on your main page. This afternoon, the books & crayons magically appeared. Both of these were through Firefox. I think my computer is messing with me.
29 Miscellaneous From Missy // Jun 23, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I love the books and crayons, and I now see the foot and sand header that someone mentioned earlier. Very nice!
30 Kelly @ Love Well // Jun 23, 2008 at 5:00 pm
That chubby foot slays me.
31 Julie // Jun 24, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Looks great!
BTW, I came across a blogger who uses a picture of a saltine for her gravatar. I immediately thought of you.
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