I was bored with my blog layout.
Honestly, It was hard to write when I simply didn't like what I saw once I hit "enter" to every blog post. The finished product, what I saw, what you saw, wasn't a good reflection of who I really am.
My blog simply wasn't me.
I mean, it was - the vintage hot hair balloon was all me. But the rest was just, well, so typical of every other blogger out there: Google ads, buttons, columns, white...so. much. white.
My OCD brain couldn't deal - anymore.
Fortunately for you, unfortunately for me, I had the entire month of December to think - since I couldn't do anything else - and draw what I wanted my blog to look like.
Yes ladies and gent's, I sketched my blog design first.
But then I hit a wall: I found out that what I sketched couldn't be necessarily translated into a functioning blog by this (yours truly) technically challenged (blogger) friend.
Being that I have a life outside of my blog, I couldn't see myself spending upwards of $500 to do the "simple changes" I needed to get my blog into tip-top-shape. That, my friends, is the cost of one nice pair of shoes.
I also didn't want to work with anyone I knew. Why? Because I tend to be too nice and settle to avoid upsetting folks. This usually only happens with creative folks - anyone else and it's business.
So, going back to my drawing, and my blog redesign, et all.
I then had a fantastic idea when I asked myself: why don't I search for a designer on Etsy that has a style similar to what I want?
I'm glad I asked myself that question, because that was the start of something quite awesome.
I searched for a couple of weeks, looked through Etsy shops, designers, emailed a few (actually, it was 12), created a list of what I wanted my blog to have, and even had a few samples of what I wanted.
In other words, I did my homework.
My goal was to have everything, meaning this blog, ready by my birthday - which is next Sunday, 2/2.
As my email communication with various Etsy designers picked-up steam, a few fell by the way side, but one designer, my designer, stood out: Janet from Jo Jo Studios.
Her work, as she describes it, is "simple with a sprinkle of eclectic." Just what the doctor ordered: Simple, elegant, and unique - that's the look I was going for.
To make matters, well, better, Janet was able to pull the colors from my new business cards to finish off my blog, and keep my branding consistent....in ONE week.
I can't say this enough - I couldn't be happier with Janet's work...I hope you are too!