Monday, January 11, 2010

My Kung Foo Is Strong

Do you like the new digs? I've been wanting to change up the look of my blog and website for a while, but well, you know, my DH does all the decorating at my house. I wear men's jeans. And clothes from 2000 and late. 'Nuff said.

So imagine my surprise when the fabulous Lisa Amowitz (her plot map is ah-ma-zing) emailed and offered to make me a shiny new header. See, she is the wickedest awesomest graphic designer. And an amazing author, so follow her blog if you're not already.

Then came the whole template thing.

Oh. My. Holey. Swiss. Cheese.

What a nightmare! No wonder I haven't done it. Hours, people. It took hours. And this template had the comments at the top (something I dislike) and it took me half my life to figure out how to A) find the html code and B) where to move it so it would be at the bottom. But, dude, I persevered!

Something funny: my new template's name is New Moon. It came with fabulous pics of Bella and Edward and Jacob. Tee hee.

But, hey, this massive redesign project saved me from beginning revisions on the final third of my MS. Therefore, my kung foo is strong, and I'm ready to throw down a major can of nunchuckage on said MS.

How's your kung foo? Feeling good about life? Writing? Revisions? Blog makeovers?

Hiiii-yaaa!

59 comments:

Tess said...

Yay! I get to be the first to say 'love it'! so fresh and cheery with just the right edge :)

oh, and I'm totally rockin' my kung foo today.

DL Hammons said...

Pure awesomeness! Thumbs up!

Bish Denham said...

Sharper! Easier to read. Way cool, dudette!

Kerri Cuev said...

Coolness! Love it!
Also kudos to Lisa!

Susan R. Mills said...

Very nice! Great job.

Wendy Paine Miller said...

I'm black belt and going strong. I'd love to see what a can of nunchuckage looks like! :D

Love the new look.
~ Wendy

Tana said...

Looks awesome, your hard work payed off. Too funny about how hard and long it took. I recently put up a website that nearly had me pulling out every last hair. And these things can't be easy because? Trust me, I never want to do another website myself, like ever.

BK Mattingly said...

I love your new look and I feel your pain...it took me all day to revamp mine, I vow to never do it again. Of course, that's probably not true. :)

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Way to persevere! I like it!

Christina Lee said...

I LOVE it--super cool!!
I am feeling good too have been writing my newest WIP like MAD and then got a new seed of any idea last night...hi--ya!! Take that!

Cole Gibsen said...

Ooooh, shiny!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the shout-out, babe. It was fun and I feel it represents the real you, just like your super-cool haircut!

Deb Salisbury, Magic Seeker and Mantua-Maker said...

Love the new look! Yay Elana and Lisa!!!

Unknown said...

I like it! Very edgy. Very YA. (I wonder what makes it New Moon-ish, though.)

Paul Greci said...

I like the new look. Good luck with your revision. I'm splitting my time between writing some character sketches for a new novel and am rewriting another novel.

Kristi Faith said...

Love the new digs. :0) You are braver and more persistent than I am. I have enough trouble with clicking and dragging. LOL

But, my kung-foo kicks @$$ :) Working on rewrites and loving the stronger emerging story.

Anonymous said...

Love the new digs. I could move in. Seriously. When do you want me and how much is the rent? ;)

Right now, I feel like my MS has the Kung Fu and is kicking the shiz out of me. Glad to know someone around here is takin' names.

Valerie Geary said...

Me likey. Easier on the eyes. :)

Unknown said...

I'm more of a Kenpo/Taibo type of person, but I really like your new look!

I keep talking revisions, but somehow, doing ACTUAL revisions is not really happening.

(slap on wrist)

Steena Holmes said...

Absolutely loving it! Looks awesome ;) Lisa spoiled you!

Catherine Denton said...

Fabulous! Such an awesome header and layout.

Anonymous said...

The digs are great. Your pain for persevering appreciated.

My kung foo factor for the day is 4 of 5.

Judith Mercado said...

Love your new digs!

Sarah Ahiers said...

it seems like blog makeovers are in the air!

Don't despair, it took me hours for my new template as well. Sigh

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Ooo, I like it! I want to revamp my look too. Soon, soon...

Clementine said...

Elana, I LOVE it! I've decided that when I dive into a website (which is on the backburner) I'm going to pay someone to do it for me so I won't be embarrassed. Your blog looks fantastic, girl!

Tere Kirkland said...

Radical!

(In the 80's sense of the word as well as the literal meaning. Totally.)

Jen said...

This is great, Elana! I love it! Really in your face. Love that. As for my Kung Fu? Well...it's really good on the weekends. Then I have to go back to work. I think that's my kryptonite. Working a job that's soooo not me. But, in the words of Kung Fu Panda: I LOVE KUNG FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Happy Monday!
Jen

Unknown said...

Love your blog makeover! It rocks!

cleemckenzie said...

This one works better than the other one that would NOT let me post! Grrr.

Nice digs you have now.

Roni Loren said...

Love the new look! I've always found that redecorating the blog is an excellent way to avoid facing my manuscript--hence the reason there are so many bells and whistles in my sidebar, lol.

And congrats on figuring out the html. That stuff is maddening.

Robin M said...

Love the new digs! Great Header!

Yes, I know how long it takes to make changes and do updates. Very time consuming. I didn't get as much done as I wanted to this weekend. Congratulations on kung fooing the html.

Jamie D. said...

Lovely new deco - nice job! And I feel your pain...I design web sites for a living, and I still can spend hours (literally) trying to decide on just the right *shade* of a color for part of a page, not to mention graphics, a whole template palette, etc. Kudos to you for persevering!

Good luck with your revisions! :-)

Kimberly Franklin said...

Ewww...template changes are the Devil! But, your new look is fabulous. Good luck with your WIP and new template!

MG Higgins said...

Gorgeous! I love the new look.

Eric said...

Great look, Elana. I especially like the flames. And my kung foo probably needs some kickin', but I'm workin' on it.

Angie said...

Looks fantastic! I know what you mean about the new templates. I think I'll be keeping mine for a loooong while. I hope my kung foo is awesome today, because I'm planning on sending out a submission!

V. S said...

I love your header and new look!

Liza said...

Easier to read! Good stuff. Don't feel bad. I went through the the process of dealing with some website that would help me get a reader count...then chickened out and never implemented what I need to because I have to insert code and I'm afraid to do it...visions of frozen blog dance in my brain. I have hope someday to bump into a blogmaster who will show me how easy it is.

Rebecca Knight said...

Ooh, I LOVE it! Lisa rocks, and so do you! ;)

Elana Johnson said...

Thanks everyone!

Eric, good luck with your kung foo. Angie, a submission? Woot!!

Liza, I'm glad it's easier to read. I wanted dark and light at the same time.

Sliding, I'm glad you can post now! :)

Okay, now I'm off to nunchuck it up. And Wendy, I don't know what it looks like either. But I imagine there's a lot of blood...

Lizzy Mason said...

Dig the new look, Elana!

Lilliam Rivera said...

Love the new site. Congrats!!

Unknown said...

Absolutely Love It!

The Force is Obviously with You (and Lisa too!)

Jemi Fraser said...

Awesomeness! What a great edgy look for you :) Love it!

Sherrie Petersen said...

Great new look! I like it not being on the black background anymore. It's easier to read. Yay for perseverance!

lisa and laura said...

Love the new look Elana! Our Kung Fu today? Meh. Currently troubleshooting the Vlog that took us all day to edit. I thought it was supposed to be easier than this???

storyqueen said...

nunchuchage is my new favorite word.

Shelley

(My Kung Foo is weak today...ugh)

Christine Fonseca said...

Love the new look - and having redesigned my stuff recently I KNOW how long it ll takes! GREAT JOB...

NOW GET TO YOUR EDITS :D

ali cross said...

Holy Coolness! LOVE it. Very YOU. Totally. Congrats!

Corey Schwartz said...

Looks AWESOME!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Very nice look. I'm sure you are too busy for this, but I gave you an award. You are a "friend" to all writers. I've learned a lot through you and the blogs you are part of. Thanks!

B.J. Anderson said...

Awesome! I love the new look!

Christina Farley said...

You are crazy busy! I love your new header. Fabulous look. I've been thinking and blogging about passion in writing.

Terri Tiffany said...

Hey you have a great looking blog! I didn't see the old but I love the header! Thanks for stopping by my blog for a visit. I'll check more on yours:)

Southpaw said...

It's wonderful. All bright and shiny and new.

Heidi Willis said...

There isn't a Twilight thing about it! :) Great job!! Looks like it just fits you!

I've struggled with hours and hours of blog template tweaking myself. How is possible to lose so much of your life to templates and HTML???

sanjeet said...

Absolutely Love It!

Work from home India

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Love it! My kung fu has changed to pure awesomeness since I decided to shift my balances around! :)

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