It has come to my attention that my blog is quickly becoming the leading cause of blindness!!! Okay, not so dramatic, but it is difficult to read. One of my friends on WEbook mentioned it the first day and I was like "Ughhh! I just finished designing it!!!" I was NOT going to do it all again. However, yesterday, THREE lovely people mentioned it again. The type is too hard to read :(
So, I NEED A BLOG MAKEOVER! Luckily, Lindsay over at Scenic Glory is a fantabulous blog designer and is offering ONE lucky duck the chance to have their blog made over by her. For the Love of Blogs is hosting the giveaway because they too are fantabulous.
Thus begins the reasons why I need a blog makeover (in full dramatic prose):
My dearest Lindsay and lovely ladies at For the Love of Blogs, I fear my blog is in trouble. The mobs are collecting and demand my blog take responsibility for the multitudes of headaches it is causing my wonderful followers. Some are nearly going blind because the white font over a black background is severely hard to read. I did not mean it! Honestly! I just love the color black, its sleekness and its ability to make other colors pop! However, the masses are speaking, voicing their concerns for not only their eyesight, but my own well being. My blog has become a part of me and I do not wish to lose it.
Tirelessly, I have wondered where to start again. I open the design tab and stare blankly at the screen. Would a green background be better? Should I design my own header? Perhaps the font is just too small? Should I add another page? The options are overwhelming and my skills are not up to par.
Dearests, I can hear the mob at the door. They are banging louder and louder! I know it is merely out of passion, but I fear that if they are not answered, if nothing is to be done, that passion will turn to something near obsession, and later nothing will soothe their cries but to see my blog hanging from the metaphorical gallows of the Internet. Just the thought is enough to make me tremble. For then, how will I share my words, my ideas, my melodramas of rants and woes? I will undoubtedly be forced to return solely to Webook.com where they only care for poetry and fiction and not the fantastic stylings of grammar, etymology, art weeks, book reviews, cinematic features, and my own personal enthusiasms. Please, don't banish me to such a limited fate!
Sincerely,
AubrieAnne
(End dramatic prose)
Well, there you go! It's a one shot dealio and the winner is sure to be one happy little blogger! Cross your fingers for me as I will undoubtedly do the same for you!
PS. The giveaway ends on the 12th so I am going to hold off any of my own experimenting with my blog design until then. Then, if the 12th comes around and some other beautiful soul has won Lindsay's generous offer I will plan a few days to shut down so I can play around a bit. That way you guys don't have to deal with the chaos. Plus, if I am not posting, perhaps I can come up with something sensible.
PPS. It's good to have a plan B, but plan A sounds so much more fun!
Haha, awwww! I really hope you win the makeover for your blog! I'll be crossing my fingers for you! :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm your newest follower from Follow Along Fridays!
I sooo love this blog style - so simple and sophisticated - it'll be a loss. And I don't get the issue with white on black. If I were you I'd simple choose a clearer font? But anyway - I'm sure you'll end up with something else that's fabulous. And if you learn any tricks you'd like to pass over to me - I have to leave my lovely bottle of wine behind if I can't fix my crazy gremlins. AARRGH! It's the only one (of many if you can remember all those changes I made)that I really liked. Ho Hum!
ReplyDeleteBig thanks for top comments on my articles btw - you the lady! ;)
Oh and I emailed you the link to the code.
Shah - wordsinsync.blogspot.com
What could be easier to read than white on black? :/
ReplyDeleteI hope you win the makeover - This blog is fabulous, but it will be even more fabulous when it gets the makeover.
ReplyDeleteVisit me on:
http://goddessofcats.blogspot.com/
I look forward to seeing the new design of your bog! Hi~ I am you newest follower from the blog hop & would love it if you stopped by and returned the love :)
ReplyDeletehttp://waveoflifesurfstudio.blogspot.com/
I'm really not trying to be a Debbie Downer here..But at least the white on black font, with the font style (or maybe even the lack of boldness)is hard on me with having eye problems that glasses cannot fix.
ReplyDeleteCertain color combos like white on black is one of them. If it was reversed, I'd have no problem. I'm partially blind, hence the reason for my speaking up.
AubrieAnne... I love the letter! Very cute (though maybe a tad embellished about banging the door down lol). I hope you are the lucky ducky to get the design.
Hi AubrieAnne,
ReplyDeleteNot that I don't wish a free makeover for you because free is best, but if it comes to spending a little money, I can't recommend the person who did mine enough. Lori from Use Your Imagination Designs is just the nicest person and with very little coherent help from me (since I was sure what I wanted in my own mind but getting it out in an email is a different story entirely) she designed just what I wanted. And she's incredibly reasonable. You'd probably be stunned to find out just how little I had to pay for my look. Now it may not be everyone's style, but she knew just what I wanted from just a few emails and created something I just love.
But I like coming to your site to read your stuff, whatever the look is!
Have a great one!
Selena
The Enchanted Book
I hope you win the makeover, but I have to say I like it too...maybe just a different font?
ReplyDeletei'm crossing my fingers for you miss! i love your letter ♥ so cute!
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend...i hope it is magical!
xoxo
FYI...AubrieAnne, I *featured* you on my latest blog post on The (Not Always) Happy Homemaker Diary. (=
ReplyDeleteI think the white text on black background is very easy to read. I have just created a new blog alongside my main one and that has just the same. Not quite the background you have but I've made it easy on the eye.
ReplyDeleteI think there are some very gawdy backgrounds to blogs. I have photo-sensitive epilepsy and find it difficult to read blogs which are covered in polka dots, stripes, vibrant background colours.
CJ xx
newest Blog Hop follower. Love for you to visit back and let me know you were there!!
ReplyDeletehttp://stayingclosetohome.blogspot.com
twifanheather...Thanks for crossing your fingers. It brings great luck! Also, welcome. I love new followers! Do you have a blog of your own?
ReplyDeleteShah...Hey lady! Yeah, I like it too, but it is time for a change. I don't have that much of a problem reading it, but not everyone has great eyes so I'm going to work on it. I don't know if I can get a clearer font. (I thought Times New Roman was the clearest), but maybe just making it bigger is the key for now. We'll see. Also, I got you email! Thank you! I will keep it for when I do the redesign!
Matt...Usually it is pretty good, it may just be too small?
dtwilight...I certainly hope so. also, thanks for leaving a link to your blog. That way I can get to it easier. I'll stop by later :)
Kelly...It should be fabulous (I hope). I'm thinking in the next few weeks. One week for the giveaway to end. If I win, Lindsay can have all the time in the world to work, if not, I'll do what I can within the week. :) Also, welcome! I will be by to check out your blog later.
Proudmom...I totally get it (You're no Debbie Downer!) I'm thinking of doing the reverse, black font on white and then adding another color as an accent, such as green or red. Maybe. We'll see. If Lindsay ends up doing it, she can do absolutely whatever she wants and i will just tell her it has to be readable. If I do it, I'll get in there and do something fabulous :) lol. I can be a bit melodramatic.
Selena...Thank you! I'm goning to ry and do it on my own if it comes to plan B and I end up doing it. I can move my way around pretty good. I just have to play around until I figure everything out again. But, if it comes down to it. You will be the first person I talk to because I do adore your blog :)
Shell...Thank you! I like it to, but change is a good thing. I'll definately play with the other fonts if it comes down to me doing it myself. Perhaps a san serif font instead of a serif.
Lindsay...The Lady of the hour!!! Thank you so much. I would love nothing more than to win your giveaway because you are so talented and you "get" blogging design. Either way, I love you and will see you around. I can't wait to see what you do, even if it is not to my blog :)
proudmom (again)...I read it and commented! Thank you so much! You are one of the seetwest people I know and I can't show enough appreciation for that beautiful post!
Crystal Jigsaw...Yes, that's one thing I really liked about this design. It is simple, not gaudy. I can't read around stripes and poka dots very well either. I would be seeing lines and dots ALL DAY! I will have to come and check out your blog so I can see the design and check in :)
Close to Home...Thanks for following, please join in the conversations.
Maybe black on white would be better, like a book. Or even black on beige. Like a book.
ReplyDeleteMatt...Yeah, I am thinking just the basic black on white (for now). We'll see when I get in there!
ReplyDeleteHey there, fellow WeBooker!
ReplyDeleteI think your blog is fabulous and it's the content that makes it so. I too have started blogging recently and darn, it's addictive - and like you, it has become a part of me. Only wish I could come up with more profound things to say!! Your letter says it all, and btw I like the black background - it adds a touch of mystique ;). Please check mine out if you have time - www.moanabrantwood.blogspot.com
Good luck with the makeover.
Hope you win the giveaway sista! Lindsay is the best!
ReplyDeleteAubrieAnne: Thanks for the tip on the blog makeover. I will see if I can enter on behalf of a blogging friend in need. If I win, she can take the prize. Thanks again.
ReplyDeletei'm totally excited for the giveaway at FTLOB. i think my loving life needs a makeover as well. hehehe. anyway i just want to let you know that i'm gave you the versatile award because well, your blog is versatile and i love you and your blog, even if i don't comment that often, trust me i still read you.
ReplyDeleteanyway you can check the award details at: http://gigglemepink.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-guess-im-versatile.html
happy friday!
With a letter like that how can't you win? :) Goodluck sweetie!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Moana...YEAH! I LOVE fellow WEbookers!!! Thank you for all the kind comments about my blog. I hope to see you around more often and I can't wait to check out your blog! I'll be by right after I finish commenting to everyone here!
ReplyDeleteLula...Thank you and YES SHE IS!!!
JJ...That's very sweet of you. I'd just ask them and see if that's cool.
Grace...Awesome. I will be crossing my fingures for you. Also, THANK YOU!!! You've been great and I love seeing you around ANYTIME I CAN GET YA!! I'm going to check out the details right now!
Katie...Thank you! You're a doll!
That was quite a letter Aubrie. I like especially your use of the very Austenesque term "Dearests" [and the fact that right now as I write, both it and the term I used to describe it are underlined in red on my screen.] Any time I see my computer's smug, modernized spellcheck dictionary triumphed over by properly utilized poetic and/or antiquated speech adaptations, it's a good day.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck on winning the redesign!
Patrick...Thank you. Grrr! I don't like it when the computer thinks it knows better. I want to slap it! :)
ReplyDeleteYou do have a beautiful blog. If I were you, as someone already suggested, the font is where you would need to start. I am pulling for you to win the makeover though. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLynda...Thank you. Yes, the font will definately be the first place i start. I'm thinking something closer to Arial instead of Times new roman and LARGER! I think that will help a lot!
ReplyDelete