Makeover

I love the picture of my kids in the flowers in the header of my blog. I added it a while back when I was nominated for a Sheenazing award, anticipating a few extra visitors.  But ever since it's been there, I've noticed how much it didn't match the rest of my blog.  Since I love the photo so much, I got playing around and decided to make the blog match the picture.


When I created this site in 2010, I just sifted through the templates until I found one that I liked.  It did the trick and I was quite happy with the appearance of the blog.  For old time's sake, here's a look at that design:

This evening while the kids were watching a movie, I stole some time to begin work on my new site.  I had no idea how to incorporate yellow without making it overpowering.  I worked as a Publications Specialist for seven years, and if I could ever go back to school and study something it would be Graphic Design.  I love spending time tweaking, matching, and making sure everything is just right.  And I love designing something with meaning.  To me, it's more than just words and shapes on a page - it's a message.  And when it's for my own website, it's personal.  To that end, the first thing I tackled was a new logo:

I settled on a yellow and brown theme, because they are complimentary and earthy (and I hoped the richness of the brown would compliment the intensity of the yellow).  I incorporated my little flowers, and I love the country feel.  I feel like this could be a sign on the outside of my house.  I also incorporated circles into the background of the header (on the site, not in this photo) because of the strong symbolism of circles in married love, and of our covenant to each other and to God.

The beautiful icon of Mary and Jesus in the background is a special one to me. I'm not sure how visible it is in the first picture of the old blog, but I wrote a post a while back about how my youngest daughter loves to hold my hair, it's her comfort item.  Even now as a budding toddler it's the first thing she reaches for if I pick her up, she always has both fists full of my hair.  A friend of mine saw her doing that one time, and remarked about how in the icons of the infant Jesus and Mary He is always clinging to her veil, and since then this practice of my daughter's has had a much more profound significance to me.  I hope and pray that as Christ clings to His mother for comfort, so may I as well.  And I rejoice that my daughter finds this comfort in me, and pray that I will always point her beyond me to Mary, who of course points each of us to her son.

It's a work in progress, and there is still much tweaking to do.  But for now, I'm happy with it.  I'm going to sit with it for at least a few weeks before I change anything else, to give it a chance to grow on me.  But I hope I didn't confuse anyone with the changes.  And if you have any suggestions, please send them along - I'm always open to help!

Many blessings on your families, may the Lord be with you this lent as your lenten sacrifices bring you closer to Him.