For those of you new to Little Woman. Little Home I thought I would take you through a tour of how LWLH evolved into this...
And what it is today.
I am finally happy with the way LWLH looks and I'm so glad I took it into my own hands to design it myself.
I might not have the skills of professional designers but after months of Googling and figuring out HTML's I am finally at a place where I feel comfortable changing things around as I see fit.
I think with blogging, it is important to have good aesthetics, because honestly that is what people see first. Great writing and good content is important for a blog but the first visual impression is what will make people stop and check it out and want to stay.
It's your blog and your choice to do what you choose with your design and layout but I can tell you from experience that dark backgrounds, cLuTtErEd SiDEbArs , and tiny pictures are a turn off for not only myself, but many bloggers.
When I first started my blog in 2008, this is what LWLH looked like....
When I first started I used the free blogger layout sites and they were def. a blessing.
I had a blog friend design my header and for a long time I was happy with this.
Back then, there wasn't as many fab blog designers out there that there is now, so my simple free pink chic look made me happy.
After a while though, I decided to take the plunge and get a professionally designed blog...
This was designed by Adori Graphics, but when I tried to find her link, I couldn't access it.
Anyways, Louise the designer did a fabulous job and it was a whole custom design that I told her about and she brought to fruition. I loved that it had Big Man, Mia, and myself in cartoon form and captured what I wanted Little Woman, Little Home to be about.
It also started what I hope will be synonymous with LWLH, which is the pink house.
You'll notice that from here on out, any design I did (excluding the Christmas ones) I included a pink house in. I wanted something to be continuous no matter what I did with the blog and I hope that captures it.
I like to switch my designs up for the holiday season and since I'm an extreme lover of Christmas it is a no brainer...
This is the original design that I used from Louise for the past couple years
And this is the one I tweaked a bit last year for Christmas.
I enjoyed my pink cartoon design for the past couple years but with most things, change is good and I was itching to have a new more cleaned up and grown up look...
This was my first design that I ever tried to make by myself and let's just say it was trial and error.
I did like this design but after a week or two, I realized it was way too bright for my eyes and probably many readers. It did give me the creativity to see what I wanted and what I could change and make it into...
Two headers that I tried out with s different gray background....
and
After this last one...I changed it to what I am currently at now.
Who knows the next time, I will change it.
Today? Tomorrow? Next Month? Next Year?
Since I put effort into what I write, it's also important to me to put effort into the way it looks and to keep it current and evolving.
Do you like to like to change your blog design up???
And Laura, I already know you do ; )
15 comments:
I've definitely had PLENTY of designs but I must say the one I have now I LOVE! I'm LOVING yours now too! Isn't it crazy to think how far it's come in such a short amount of time?! I mean 3 years later designs are so much cooler and more customized than I ever thought they'd be when I started!
Very cool! I like to make my design look nice, as stupid as it sounds - I think a cohesive design (whether done by a pro or tweaked on your own) draws in potential new followers.
I figure if people aren't distracted by the uglyness of my blog, they'll be slightly more likely to stick around to see if they like what I have to say.
And your design looks wonderful!! I like the evolution of LWLH.
I'm laughing at your comment to Laura at the end!
I love my blog design, (designed by Laura!) As you know I haven't been at blogger long but was with Live Journal for 8 years.. One of the things I love about Blogger is the freedom of having a layout that is unique to you.
I loved seeing all your previous blog designs! I would love to learn how to design them myself but I don't think I have the technical knowledge or the patients lol xx
I love that you can look back and see how it's evolved! Makes me wish I kept some print screens. I love the look now which is why I keep coming back :) Oh, you make me laugh too and I love that!
I do love the look you settled on, but the others are great as well. And I'm sure you'll come up with more amazing ideas that transform your blog to your evolving tastes. You seem very adept and talented in the whole blog design department. I'm addicted to change as well; I'm desperately trying to talk myself out of redesigning mine right now, but failing miserably.
English
www.befreckled.blogspot.com
I agree that an eye catching blog design is *almost* as important as the content, and that it's important to change it up every now and then because blogs are always evolving and our lives are always changing- so must the blog design. I'm pretty happy with my blog design right now. I recently changed it, not so much because I didn't like it, but because I needed something different. I love what you have now, and I think it's awesome that you did it yourself! Bravo!
You are awesome for learning how on your own. I just had someone professionally do mine, and I love it for now ;)I did Google how to make a button though, and now I am a button making fool! Isn't it awesome the things we can teach ourselves with Google ;) Little by little I hope to become more comfortable switching things up all self ;) BTW, I love your design now!
xoxo
Me? Change my layout? Noooo.
And NO, I do NOT have it written in my Life Planner to change it again next week.
Bipolar much?
I have been loving your little transitions over the past few months :)
It *is* a lot of Googling and trial-and-error. But, it's fun!!
PS - What are you using now that Picnik is gone *moment of silence* ?
i loveeee the new design and i think u did fab i love the clean look it has and the way the background doesn't take away from your content im a fan of simple and white space :)
You did an amazing job! I love it & from reading your blog I feel like it's YOU! I definitely have the time but it's the patience I am worried about! I remember when MySpace was all the jazz I could redo my page like nobody's biz! But now? not so much! I am inspired. =D
oh girl you know me...I change mine up all the time and I love it! As a kid I always re-arranged my room so my blog has become my creative outlet now :)
It looks great! I can't believe I've been around long enough to remember the first layout. :0)
That is such a good idea! I wish I had thought to keep screenshots of my blog over the years.
It's so interesting to see your transition from having a professionally designed blog to learning to do it yourself. Good for you. It's a good skill to have because if you're anything like me - I get bored and like to tinker around.
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