Here at LMLD we certainly don’t like change. We try to avoid it as much as possible. But we’ve been working on some much-needed updates to the blog to make it prettier and easier to navigate.
The first changes, which are mainly cosmetic but will serve the functional ones to come, should (barring any unexpected problems) be implemented later on today!
It has taken us quite some time to get this far. We have very strong opinions, we think wonderful taste, and very little experience in actually designing a blog.
We know what we like and we keep changing our minds. We have looked at three point two million fonts. We have set up two test blogs. We are trying to make how things look (and work) here a huge improvement. But we are babies in the world of graphic design, which we deeply respect.
So bear with us, remember that on the one hand if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all, and on the other hand do tell us if something doesn’t seem right or isn’t working, especially later as we go along. It would be good to know how the blog appears on your computer screen, for instance. We promise not to go all advertise-y on you or in any way to change our mission, which is to maintain the collective memory!
Cheryl (Copper' says
Best wishes to you all a you work on this. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have up your collective sleeve.
Lauren (formerly kno says
I hope it all goes well! As someone who may or may not have read all of your posts (probably several times :)), can I throw out a suggestion? A search function would be positively lovely!!! It will probably have to wait if/until you have a bigger site, but it would be really nice to be able to search by a specific phrase for an article I'm trying to send to a friend, etc.(Yes, the tags are helpful, but as the posts grow in number, sorting though 40 posts to find the one I'm looking for becomes more and more daunting.)Just an idea for when you're famous. :)Amor de Espana,LFS, aka Lauren 🙂
Milehimama says
Blogger automatically tags a search function up at the top of the page, on the left.Or Google will let you design a custom search, just for your blog, and you can get the colors to match.My advice? Make sure you write down the hexadecimals for your colors somewhere you'll be able to find them again!
pip says
How exciting! A search function would be glorious…It's really hard to choose fonts and layouts etc; I've chopped and changed the design of my own blog sooo many times, but I too struggle with knowing exactly what I want (…until tomorrow when I'll change my mind) but knowing too little about html etc. May the Lord bless you (and us!)in your creativity : )
Rosie says
LJ – it's true that blogger does add a search bar in the upper right-hand corner, but one of our goals in this blog renovation is definitely to make archived posts easier to find. That means a more prominent search feature and better general organization are both in the works.
Heather says
On my screen, I have about an inch and a quarter of blank space on the left and right margins, so the blog could be wider. Is that what you meant? Trying to be helpful. Love this blog.
Leila says
Thanks, Heather! Yes, that's what we mean…and I'm glad there's extra space, because what we don't want is for some of the content to be somewhere you can't see it!On my monitor there are four inches on either side! I'm so excited!
Rosie says
Thanks, Heather, that's good to know! (I have about the same space on my screen, too).I'm especially worried about it potentially looking wonky if someone's using an older browser or smaller screen resolution. But hopefully that won't be a problem.Mama, you have a huge monitor!
Deirdre says
I'm excited!Better you than me, Rosie. Better you than me.
Carrien says
It's pretty! I love the new header, and like that the photos are so much bigger now.I can see everything, just barely on my monitor with the current settings.
Mama Bean says
Yay!so clean and pretty:)
Jill says
Thank you for all your hard work! It is positively ridiculous how many times a day I check your blog to see if you've posted anymore collective wisdom.I love the new header. Glad you didn't totally do away with the chickens! Just to go down a rabbit trail…Have you read Mother Careys Chickens BTW? It's by the same woman who wrote PollyAnna so it is a bit gushy but it has some wonderful thoughts about mothers and hearthfires etc.
Jenny says
OOOH! PRETTY!!!
Joan says
Dear Leila,I am a fifty-something grandma. I had six children in 11 years and oh how I needed an Auntie Leila when my children were at home. When I got married I had not a clue how to cook or keep a clean house. But I muddled through doing the best I could. But it's never too late to learn new things and I have learned so much from you. One of the best things I can now do for my daughters is send them to you. Actually one of my daughters found you and told me. We all love you and feel like you are our kind of people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sincerely,Joan
Faithemmanuel says
Thanks for keeping those chickens! There would be quite a hen-pecking if they were gone.
Anonymous says
Beautiful. Loving it!Autumn Hazen
Pippajo says
Ooooooh!My first thought (before I even read the post and knew what it was about) was, "Oooh, pretty new title font!"The page looks, to me and my monitor, only slightly enlarged. The photos are (happily) bigger but nothing seems lost or squashed.After messing with the layout and appearance of my own blog (and having absolutely no business at all doing so as I do not know what I'm doing), I can heartily agree with the recommendation to make note of the hexadecimals for your colors somewhere! Those pesky colors nearly drove me mad!I don't like change, either, but these don't bother me a bit! Keep up the good work!
Sophie Miriam says
I like these changes! I especially like the way the actual posts are wider now–it makes it easier to read long posts.I have about an inch and quarter extra on either side as well. (For reference, I am on a normal-sized laptop.)
Anne R Triolo says
Change??! Nooooo!! I don't like change!!!But, that being said, a search function would be useful and the picture of the chickens on the wreath is very nice.
Mrs Bossy says
Bee-utiful!
Wendy in VA says
I love it!
Bobbi says
I must say that I'm hugely relieved to find things very much the same…well, the things I was worried about. The header is different but not too different…the font is different but good different and it is recognizable as the place I've come to love and often wish to "walk into" the computer screen! Phew!! I always get nervous when my best loved blogs change…sometimes they knock everyone off the radar. Thanks for being so thoughtful…not that I'm surprised! It looks wonderful…as usual!!
Meredith says
It looks great, very clean and fresh. Love it 🙂
Betsy says
I love the new look, and those chickens at the top! Boy, I had better get back to work though – I get sucked into your old posts and just love to keep reading!
Sue says
I really like it. You went from homely and lovely to a new and different homely and lovely. Great job!
onedeepdrawer says
looks so, so good! love the chickens in the banner picture. and i love the blue and orange together. one suggestion…i'd like the "post categories" further down. i'd like to see pictures and link to the Happy at Home posts sooner! just my two cents!peace keep you all!
Decadent Housewife says
It's a yes!
Leila says
Thanks for these sweet comments — I'm so grateful for so many friends!Bobbi — I so know what you mean about some blog changes. They completely change everything, including what they were writing about! I don't like that! However…we are going to do a little more to make things easier to find and read through. My "system" *cough* is wearing through at the seams!Get ready for tabs at the top…and better categories…and other important stuff that Rosie has thought up.System processing, please stand by!