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A Comfortable Place To Be

Sunday, January 2, 2011

I'm sitting here in my most favorite red fleece pajama pants. They're a size too big, maybe two, so I'm constantly pulling them up. And then when I pull them up, and try to tie the draw strings tighter, so that I can safely run up and down the stairs (because yes, I always try to run, rather than walk), I feel like they're too short, and-

Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me. I suppose I should announce, in case you haven't noticed, that-

We have been working on this design for months now.

It all started decades ago, when I got bored with my boring self-done design, and went hopping from blog to blog, envious of all of the "professional" designs that blinked onto the screen in front of me. But no matter how much I wanted it, thought about it, craved it- I just couldn't justify myself as a real blogger, yet (if that makes any sense to anybody other than me). So... no fancy design for me. I'd stick to my self done grey text blocks and stock model green background.

Maybe someday, *sigh*. Dream on, Tia.

Well, it must be someday! Because hot dog! Looky here!

A close friend of mine was telling me about her blog upgrade, and said I should get in contact with her designer. The idea of anybody touching my personal space kind of made me hyperventilate, but as I looked through her designer's portfolio I thought to myself "maybe its time". So I contacted her, she agreed to make me a new blog, I was excited, and then- booooooo. She kinda flaked out on me. She said she couldn't do the design that I had asked her about, and it had taken her over a month of complete silence to tell me.

At that point, my hopes of having a new space to display our documentary were crushed. But I wanted it so badly, now that I had been so close.

See, a blog, if you update it regularly, the way that I have for 3 years now (wow), is kind of like your living room. You spend a lot of time there. You want it to be nice to look at. You want to feel comfortable in it. You want to be able to invite people over. Etc, etc.

Anyways, my living room had gotten to be too messy, and I was starting to hate it. I needed a new couch, or a new painting, or something.

So I decided that it really was time. I window shopped designs, I drooled over websites with bright colors and fancy fonts, and eventually I declared that "I will have the blog design that I want. I deserve it!".

I got in touch with a good friend of mine, who I probably should have just gone to in the beginning, and not only did she say she could design the blog of my dreams, but she was happy to do it. Happy, you guys. Happy to do it.



And so design the blog of my dreams, she did. We emailed each other every couple of days (ok, me emailing her, more than her emailing me). I anxiously checked my mail almost every time I walked past my computer, on days I knew she'd be working on it. She put up with my hundreds of thousands of obsessive compulsive complaints, my "yeeeaaah, thats not gonna work for me"'s, and you guys- y'all have no idea how many times I asked her to change the background wallpaper, haha. Sorry, Nicole!!

But in the end, we came up with the perfect combination of Polaroids and Puppy Loveys. Just the right amount of pink, balanced with the blues, blended with the yellows. A meld of messy handwriting with typewriter text, which might be a little hard to read at first, but you'll get used to it.

My living room is comfortable again.

And now to introduce you to the celebrity of this post...



Thank you, Mrs. Muffin (and adorable little miss Riley), for creating the most perfect habitat for the documentary of us. And for putting up with all of my indecisive crap.

Sooo, go click around! Look up there at the top, at our "likes" section, where we list some of the blogs and websites that we dig (its still a work in progress though), as well as our favorite posts. If you never read the explanation of our comment-free blog, its up there too, loud and proud. In the next couple of days I hope to get our "chapter one" written, which is the story of how Christopher and I met, and started our journey together (I know a lot of you wonder about that). Over on the side there, is a list of some of our most frequently visited posts, as well as some of the tutorials we've done. Oh, and our twitter and email and photography blog (which hasn't been updated yet, but- I've taken a big giant leap there too).

And this, y'all, thisssss

A share bar thats at the bottom of all of our posts (can you tell that I'm really excited about it?)! So if theres something you really like, a recipe or a picture or a crazy lady rant that I'm having on one of those days, you can click a button and share it with your twitter or facebook friends. Or print the recipe! Or-

Okay okay, I'm sure you don't need me to describe the things that you can see for yourself. ...I'm just so anxious to know what everyone thinks!!

So anxious, that I'm going to open up comments for just this post.


I can't wait to hear everyones opinions!
Likes and dislikes.

I hope that you all love it as much as I do.

29 comments:

Sara January 2, 2011 at 9:59 PM  

I love it! And I think it suits you. :)

rachel January 2, 2011 at 10:04 PM  

love love love it! a nice change!

Kari January 2, 2011 at 10:20 PM  

I love it Tia. Its beautiful and totally you!!

Chana@ Mamma Town January 2, 2011 at 10:22 PM  

GURL~ you know how much I love this blog! Aaannnd...I have to say, I think everything happened just the way it was meant to be (youknowwhati'mtalkingabout) I have to say, I'm sad this will be my only comment FOR-EV-ER (the sandlot?) on here.
Love it.
Love you.

Fallon January 2, 2011 at 11:06 PM  

I more then love it! Every detail =)

Jesslyn Amber January 2, 2011 at 11:10 PM  

It's perfect! I looove it!
I adore the pink typewriter!

Annie Rose January 2, 2011 at 11:21 PM  

Yay comments! :)

I seriously love the blog. It completely suits you and it's just so fresh and new and beautiful and perfect for the new year.

Love love love all around.

Now instead of checking the blog twice a day, I might have to come back three or four times. Stalking? Perhaps. Admiring? Most definitely! :)

-Annie
{JammySage}

Unknown January 2, 2011 at 11:50 PM  

love love the new makeover... love it. and I just read your comment free blog... and I love that to which is kind of weird that i'm commenting.. but I just had to tell you that .. cause that makes total sense to me. even if I'm a newbie.. LOVE IT all! :)

lul January 3, 2011 at 12:32 AM  

Over sized pajamas pants are THE very best! And can I say, SMASHING blog! It looks great.
Kiss
Lula

Kalii January 3, 2011 at 1:37 AM  

very hip vintage. I love it. It is really pretty and Nicole did an amazing job at capturing your personality.

R Montalban January 3, 2011 at 4:45 AM  

You have a very warm and inviting blog, and I hope that 2011 is a fantastic year for you and your family.

Anonymous,  January 3, 2011 at 7:25 AM  

i love your new blog makeover! it is fabulous. :) i love reading your posts also!

Jen January 3, 2011 at 7:50 AM  

The typewriter font is going to take some getting used to for me, but I LOVE everything else :-). Looks awesome!!

CourtneyKeb January 3, 2011 at 8:12 AM  

I'm super stoked for your new look over here in the corner of the internet I visit every time you update.

It looks great, it feels great, and it'll only highlight and showcase your already great writing.

Way to go on your new photography endeavors as well! You have a way of taking an ordinary moment of your children's everyday lives and making it an extraordinary memory of a photo. I have no doubt you'll be successful in passing on your talent to other families too!

Alyssa S. January 3, 2011 at 8:19 AM  

LOVE it! I don't think you could have picked a more perfect designer. I've seen other pages she's designed and loved every one of them. Like everyone else said, it's SO you :)

Unknown January 3, 2011 at 8:52 AM  

I love it, I think it's awesome, I think you're awesome!

My favorite part is that there is going to be a photography part! :) I mean, you already share TONS. But, it's just fun that there is going to be a specific! haha.

You're just pretty much amazing Tia! Promise!

Though, I think there are some features from the previous blog that are not here on the new blog. Not sure what it was, but when I was on last night... I couldn't find what i was looking for... and of course... the feature for my remembering what the hell I was looking for seems to be missing too. :) Hahha, oh well!

I love the blog, the header is amazing.

BUT, I am sad that you were so down on your previous blog. I loved it's layout. :) hehehe. It was amazing as well, and your's was one I was drooling over that looked 'professional' to me! JUST sayin'!

<3

Megan Harmeyer January 3, 2011 at 9:55 AM  

This is perfect!! I love everything about this layout. It's user friendly, pretty to look at and fit you (as far as I can tell as a relative outsider). All your "indecisive crap" paid off because it looks great!

beka January 3, 2011 at 2:34 PM  

Oh my, I looooove your new blog look! It's darling!!!!

emily January 3, 2011 at 6:48 PM  

Love it, Tia! Well done, Mrs. Muffins :)

This Little Bird January 3, 2011 at 7:08 PM  

It looks fabulous Tia...just wonderful. You really did deserve this, so way to go... keep on bloggin' cause we love reading :)

Colleen January 3, 2011 at 8:25 PM  

Love it! I made just the slightest, teensiest change to my blog this week, so slight I doubt anyone would notice, but it threw me into moments of craziness and indecision. But I'd love to make a big change like this one of these days. Fun!

Happy New year!

Seana January 3, 2011 at 10:31 PM  

Mrs. Muffins did my blog as well! I won her blog makeover on a giveaway and she read my mind with what I wanted! Love her, and your new design! www.kevinandseana.blogspot.com

Chelsey - The Paper Mama January 4, 2011 at 2:51 PM  

It's LOVELY! I've been considering heading to her for sometime now... I'm considering it EVEN more after seeing your space...

Sam @ The Ellison Family Expansion Plan January 4, 2011 at 3:04 PM  

Tia, I actually really loved your old layout/design. I always thought it looked great. But then you changed it... and then I extra really loved your new layout/design! :D

It's super cute and cheerful. MrsMuffins did a great job. I think the pink typewriter is my favorite.

- Sam/onama

Jennifer January 5, 2011 at 6:43 AM  

So great! I love it!! Next time i need a little blog makeover i know where i am going!


* on a side note i was going to send you an e-mail but since i am here, i wanted to share that i get most of my boy's clothes on ebay, you can do a handly little search for both girls at the same time and i never pay more than $5 for anything.. That way i can shop throughout the year and it doesn't feel like much because it's not!

Hope life is wonderful!

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