I did a little costume change here on the site — what do you think?
I was ready for a new design and something more customizable. Something more me. I thought. Until my husband pointed out the following, upon seeing the new look.
“It’s really nice, but it doesn’t reflect your writing style.”
“It’s muted and elegant — so what the hell are you talking ab– Oh.”
{silence}
“See what I mean?”
“@@$%^^**&^@!$#!!”
“Don’t get me wrong. I like it — it looks nice.”
“Whatever. It’s going to have to represent irony or something. Because an impatient and salty looking site is not going to be easy on the eyes.”
“Uh, OK. Do you want red or white with dinner?”
***************************************************
I hate to say this — and I don’t often do it in writing, aka on permanent record — but he’s kind of right. I guess my eyes go after things much prettier than my mouth expresses.
Now it’s like false advertising. Bait and switch. A sucker punch.
New visitor: “Oh, look at the pretty Fordeville site. I bet she talks about good manners, sunshine and folding napkins into swans.”
{Crickets, followed by site exit}
So maybe it’s not entirely reflective of my writing, but that’s OK. Too much me might be overkill. And I love the makeover. Hats off to Cynthia at NW Designs for sticking with me while I tortured her with questions about shades of blue, degrees of damask and social media plug-ins.
I have some fun up my sleeve this week — so this was a good way to kick things off. Hope you like the elegant and muted side of Fordeville as much as I do.
But no promises to make it seep over into my writing. That will likely stay in the salty and impatient camp.
{Oh, and if you’re still seeing the old site for some reason, refresh your page. If that doesn’t work, please tell me. And then forget everything I just said in this post.}
Looks great, but I might agree with your husband. Oh, well. Your readers can’t judge this blog by its cover.
That may be for the best 🙂
love the new site – you can be a leading light that jersey is full of refinement and muted tones amid the high hair and malls.
also love your ultimate to-do one, i totally should have one but i rarely plan beyond doing the laundry…
Thanks Anna — I appreciate it.
But Jersey full of refinement? Nobody (including me) would ever believe it…
I like visual irony. Go with the irony thing. No one really understands it anyway.
It is purty, after all.
I’m going with it — it’s the only angle I’ve got at this point. Because cleaning up my act is totally out of the question.
This post made me roar. I have the same problem. I’ve been planning a new site design myself and everything I like is totally at odds with my writing personality. Sometimes I feel like Sybil.
I like your blues and purples. Very soothing.
Oh good, it’s not just me. I think you should get some sort of Sybil theme in place — get those drawings going. I am dying over the mental image.
My soothing colors are supposed to offset any irritation you feel from my writing. Did it work?
You’re asking the wrong person. I thrive on writing others find irritating. 😉
No wonder you keep coming back 🙂
I think it looks fab. And you can mark my envy, as someone with zero design skills who relies on a Mac template for her own site.
Incidentally, if you ever extract the sodium from your writing, I’m losing all faith in humanity.
Thanks Kim. And let’s be clear: I did not design it. I enlisted help. Otherwise, it would be some stick figures and some crappy wallpaper.
I will do my best to keep the sodium levels maintained for you. It feels doable.
The new design looks good. I feel like I should be drinking tea while reading your blog instead of a beer. If you are happy with it that is all that matters.
I am really happy with the design but I insist you go have a beer anyway. Just not yet — it’s kind of early, especially for you PST peeps.
What fabulousness! Congrats on the new look, it looks great on you mama! 😉
Thanks a million 🙂
I pink puffy heart the design, but I’m in P’s camp on this one…sorry!
Like I said, the man is right (this time). I’m OK with that. Because while stabby images of empty wine bottles and complaint letters would be, well, more accurate — would you want to look at that? Remember, visual irony. I’m sticking with it.
Uh, and did you really say pink puffy heart?
I did…what can I say? Last week was a much better week than this one. Hope you’re surviving as well!
Hahahaha, very cool! I so need a more consolidated site design I think too. What do you think?
I can’t wait to keep up with your changes as a SAHM. 🙂