I’m so excited to share that I’m bursting at the seams- I have a new blog design!

Click on the image to come visit if you’re reading by e-mail or in a reader :)

The Story

I’ve been wanting to re-design my blog for about six months- but it’s been hard for me to know where to start. I did my last design a year ago when I had just learned how to trick HTML and CSS into thinking that I knew a little about them, and a year later they’re what I do all day long! Approaching this design was really hard for me. Between client projects I came up with ideas, psyched myself out, went back to the drawing board, and asked Leigh-Ann eleventy billion questions.

I wasn’t sure how to start, so I read marketing books instead. And read through Blog Love again. And considered my Style Statement. And considered consulting the enneagram before starting. I basically tried to have my miniature identity crisis quietly packed into a manageable corner of my life- you know how it is.

The problem was simple: what was holding me back wasn’t the design, it was finding a place in my life for blogging and trying to find out what I really wanted to write about. My blog used to be one of the highlights of my week. I would plan my posts carefully and collecting the photos for them was almost a game- I adored the process of getting to the point that I hit publish. I want to have that again!

I want to give my writing a sacred space in my life that’s unhurried and delicious.

I want to share things that make my heart beat faster.

I want to find new ways to my story, that make me beam when I share them.

I kinda can’t wait to start, thanks for following along! :)

The Features

I’m still working on the final customizations, but it’s 90% finished and these are some of the things that really made me happy to have:

• You can like posts instead of commenting – This is a feature on Pugly Pixel that I love, and she very thoughtfully listed her plugin of choice because she’s community minded and lovely. I’m excited to have that flexibility now! Geeky side note: I drew the heart that shows up by the “like” option :)
• There are more live updates – My sidebars now show my most recent twitter updates and a slideshow of my most recent instagram photos, and I’m excited to use both of them more!
• There are all new about, resources and design pages
• Still to come! By next week I’ll be adding a visual guide to my projects and recipes as well as an all new blogroll that will be more that wil be more fun to navigate.

I’m so excited to be more energized about my blog, and to be more interactive here- I hope that you enjoy the new design and the changes! And if you’re in a blogging rut, the spring is a perfect time to shake off the cobwebs and get re-inspired. I pinky swear. :)

ps – Today is the my lovely business partner, mentor, partner in crime and bestie Leigh-Ann’s 30th birthday!! If you have a moment please wish her a great day (and see her super cute new bangs!) I die, she’s too adorable for words. Happy birthday, love! <3