Every few months I get an urge to tweak and futz about with the design of Creating Motherhood. It’s seasonal. I seem to feel the urge more strongly in conference season because I like to pretend that new people will show up and I will need to have a spruced up place. Yes, I just equated blog design with dusting.
I am pretty content with the layout of my site. I am a memoir style blogger (finally owning that nicheless niche) and whatever gets the focus on words works the best for me. I prefer a wide content column and a sidebar column that is direct. I don’t want people hunting around my site for a way to connect beyond my posts. Want to know who I am? Want to know how to email me? Want to know other places to connect? All of that is right over there.
What was missing was plaid. I was phoning it in. This look puts it more boldly out there. It is unapologetic PLAID!
Plaid is a personal metaphor for my life. You’ve heard the song Tapestry by Carol King, right?
My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue
An everlasting vision of the ever changing view
A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold
A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold
For me, plaid is my life tapestry. It is a moment crossing over another moment, long and short, forming a pattern. Sometimes my day is a vibrant plaid with bold stripes and colors, other days my plaid is muted and soft, a whisper. No matter what chaos I am wading through I can usually find the common life thread.
The big threads of my life:
• surrendering control
• not letting feelings rule my choices
• apologizing (as in I can’t seem to stop doing it. Sorry.)
• kindness at any cost
• finding connections through empathy
I love plaid. (but you knew this about me)
{and yes, you may now also show your love of plaid with a snazzy new ‘I heart plaid’ button}
Surely I am not alone with searching for meaning within the visual world. But I have no idea what pattern or shape or style defines you.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
This is you. I love the plaid, and I love the metaphor. The pattern of my life is probably paisley. Lots of color, a bit mis-shapen (probably not a word), and looks to be in motion.
wow. Paisley. I LOVE THAT!!
I love the discipline of tartan (plaid) and how everything is connected in a way that you can never miss the turning – just take the next one. On the other hand, I love the fluidity of paisley. But in the end I have to admit to being toile de jouy. Interesting complex scenes spaced out on a much calmer background. Patches of intensity and lots of soothing nothingness in between. Working on projects and having and end date and goal suit me best.
oooh. interesting. Never thought about tartan discipline – that totally makes sense.
And your explanation of toile is brilliant. Hmmm….there might be a blog redesign in YOUR future
I love it!
100% cilantro free
I have always loved the style you bring to your blog!
best. compliment. EVER. thank you!!
Love it!! Loud and proud….
I imagine we can find a bit of time to talk design in NYC
You are plaid, and you are also the Muppets (to me at least). In Philly with family this weekend, and saw the Muppets as Wizard of Oz characters at the Please Touch Museum and thought of you.
Mostly I have been into colors rather than patterns. In clothing, furnishings, bed linens, you name it. I find a color sings to me, and I want to see that color everywhere. I had a very VERY long purple period. And black and dark grey. Then I got more into raspberry. Currently blue is coming in more and more. Heh, actually, looking down at myself, I am wearing blue pants and a raspberry top.
I think I am stripes. Dark and light, opposing colors. They have direction even if you don’t always know where they are going. And they can be bold when I’m feeling bold or tiny stripes almost become a solid color when I feel the need to fade into the back ground for a while. I like your reasoning for the plaid. It suits you.