Update (4/26): Two pictures, one with black frame and one with white, are rotating in the header position. Which do you prefer?
This is week 4 of Amateur Improve Your Blog Month at Frugal Upstate: blogger’s choice.
For those who may not have been here, this is what the blog started out looking like.
Here it is after the first three weeks, with new template, reorganized sidebars, and the beginnings of an “about” page.
Now, the big project: an image to replace the coffee cup. (Not that I don’t like the coffee cup. I do. But two things: one, I haven’t figured out how to make the picture the right size for the space, and, more importantly, I have in mind to replace it with a picture of me. Oh, and then there’s the quote, I guess that’s three.)
On Monday, I overcame the first hurdle. Yep, good hair day. Monday evening my hero captured a candid shot which should work (the story behind which will be a separate post). After determining yesterday that I really didn’t have the skill or software to do what was in my mind, I sent the image to my hero this morning for him to beg someone in his office to work on it.
In the meantime, what are your thoughts?
- Are there blog features you like elsewhere that you would like to see here?
- Do you like the hack I came up with to separate off the list of related posts?
- If you are new to the blog, was anything confusing?
I really love that we are a conversation here. Let me know what you think!
I’m new! I’m new! And I’m lovin’ what I’m learnin’ from you :] I’ve already cleared out my closet and focused in on my colors and basics.
It was a little confusing, though, specifically about the color palette idea. Because I haven’t put much thought into fashion for a couple of years I feel like I’m starting at step one, and I really had to hunt for all the steps. I’d really like to hear you expand on color choice. What happened to “what season are you?”
But like i said, I’m really enjjoying this topic, and it has proved very helpful to me.
so thanks!
bonnie
I love what you do.. don’t think I’ll be submitting any pics for fashion lab but it’s great to look and get all these ideas…
God bless,
Sallie
Maybe a “Most Popular Posts” or “Where to Start” section? You could write a post, but backdate it so it is buried somewhere, but then put a link in the sidebar-one that was just a series of links to the main “Points” that a newcomer would want to read up on without having to dig, like all the basics on color, idoms, body shapes, styles etc. That way someone (like the ladies above) who found your blog and thought it was great could do a bit of background reading and not feel like they were jumping into the discussion midstream.
Sort of like what I did at the link below when Making Home gave me that award and I knew that I was going to be getting a lot of first time visitors (and that’s sort of what I intend to do for my own “first time visitor” page when this wine tasting thing is all done)
http://frugalupstate.blogspot.com/2007/03/welcome-to-making-home-readers.html
Jenn, in the back of my mind I knew that eventually I would have to figure out something like that. I could even do it on a page and it would show up right above the search box. The project itself seems a little overwhelming, but not so much when a real person with real questions is the motivation!
It would also be a good opportunity for me to make sure I have a good post explaining each one of those concepts.
Bonnie ~ I am planning on doing more with your question. In the meantime, try entering the phrase “those packets of 30 colors” into the search box. That should bring up a handful of helpful posts, along with related posts for each one.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! Welcome to the conversation.
Sallie ~ thanks for your kind comment. I got somebody to photoshop the picture for me, so let me know what you think about it when I get it put up (hopefully today).
I love your color choices! I think things are looking really great over here and you should be so proud of yourself! My husband does my web page or it would be (at best) a really, really bad template 🙂 Congrats on your improvements!
Rebecca,
I love the new picture! I think it adds more of your “fingerprint” to the page!
Kristine
The picture… it’s too blurry. Gives me a headache. Or maybe I already have a headache. Perhaps you could do something that illustrates your “between my peers” point. Maybe get a bunch of your peers together….?
I haven’t been here for a couple of days…. germies are in the air here… and for some reason my computer is wanting to take forever for this page to load — rude PC!
Anyway, I love the idea of a picture of you there! When I first saw that picture I thought that your hair was absolutely beautiful! I love the story behind the pic too! But I have to vote that while your hair looks great, it is a little too blurry! I saw the one pic of your head and I think you are too beautiful to ‘waste’ a blurry picture on!
Carrie, is this the only page that takes a long time to load for you? Kristine and I have both been experiencing a little of that lately. If I have to, I will eliminate some stuff. (The picture might be one of the things that’s slow, but the big thing I think is the blogging chicks blogroll.)
And thanks for the lovely compliment. Sorry you’ve got bad stuff at your house.
Sorry you’ve got a headache, too, Beth.
We’ll see. This picture might have to stay, at least for the time-being, since I have pretty much exhausted my “technical energy” once again. The trouble with all the cool ideas is that I have no skills or software with which to execute them. Ugh!
Yes, it’s just been this page. I asked my friend Cathy (who also reads your blog) if she was having that problem here as well, and she said yes. 🙁
I had the problem pretty much after you changed to this format. At first it wasn’t taking so long, then it got slower and slower. But my computer is badly in need of updating, so I figure my problem is half+ my computer!