My Blog Got a Facelift: A Tour through the New Design

If you've stopped by the blog today, you've probably noticed that it looks a little different around here! If you're reading this in your email, click over so you can see what I'm talking about!  
I love the Blogger platform, and I'm not ready to switch to Wordpress now (or maybe ever).  I was thrilled to hear about Kim from The Kim Six Fix, who specializes in optimizing the Blogger platform to make it cleaner, more profitable, and easier to navigate.  
Until now, everything I've done to the design of the blog has been done my me, through lots of research and trial and error.  It's been wonderful to have another set of eyes on the blog, helping make it work even better for you and for me.   
So, let's take a little tour on what's new!  Let's start at the top:

I've got a brand new header.  It's basic and pretty, and I love it.  It really gets down to the meat of what I do here on the blog.  Underneath the header is my navigation bar, which you can click on to take you to any of the pages in my blog.

Since my co-author left, I needed a new "Hello Box".  Here's a quick intro to my friends and fans, and you can click on the link to go to my "About" page to get to know me even better.

I am in love with my social media icons!  I really want to connect with you wherever you "live" on social media.  So, when you first stop by, you can find me by clicking any of the blue icons at the top.  Or, as you scroll through the page, the gray social media icons will scroll with you, so if you are inspired to connect with me later, you can easily find them.

My "Subscribe" box for my Newsletter is easier to find.  If you don't have time to read my blog every day, why not sign up for the newsletter and let my blog come to you, via email?  I'd love for you to sign up!

As you scroll down the homepage, you'll notice my format has changed.  Until now, I've had three posts in their entirety on the front page.  While that kept you from having to click through to read, it also meant lots and lots of scrolling, as well as a longer load time.  Now my most recent post is larger on the top, while earlier posts are truncated in the layout below.  It should be easier to find recent content, and a faster experience for you as a user.

I've also consolidated my blog post categories so my projects are easier for you to find.  Almost all of my posts fit into these categories.  Looking for a Halloween project?  Click "Seasonal & Holiday".  What about that Baby Shower Favor printable?  It will be under "Printables" and "Gift Ideas".

I have a cool new scrolling Instagram Widget, so you can see what's going on in my feed.  I often post sneak peeks of projects or behind the scenes details on Instagram, so if you're not following me yet, what are you waiting for?
Finally, I didn't ignore the important space at the bottom of my page.  Here you once again can connect with me via social media or by subscribing to my newsletter.  You'll also find badges for affiliate networks I'm involved with.  Finally, my Privacy Policy and Copyright Statement are here for anyone interested in sharing my posts.
So there you go:  Occasionally Craft v 3.0!  Thanks again to Kim Six Blog Troubleshooting for the makeover.  She is wonderful to work with and everything was done quickly and just as I asked for it to be.  
What do you think?  Which new feature are you most excited by?  Thanks so much for stopping by!