Behold! I give you the Overpaid Banner Designer Jed
Every six months or so I like to wipe my blog slate clean and do something different. I've been through almost all of Blogger templates and I know my html as well as I know the ingredients in my toothpaste. Only, every time I do a sweeping change it takes me seventy hours of completely ignoring every human, need and responsibility in my life. However, I usually lose weight from the stress so it's worth it. It's the only time stress induces weight loss and not the gain. Pfffffff.
Sorta like a blogger's cleanse.
Anyway, a couple years back I started doing my own banners. My first one was a masterpiece:
(Go ahead, I dare you to click to enlarge.)Chup said he was going to boycott my blog it was so bad.
But I kept it up for awhile just because it reminded me of the time I lost seven pounds in three days. It was a "banner" experience. Oh boy.
At that point my cousin's husband Jed offered to step up and design banners for me. I think he felt sorry. Some say he has "talent" and others say he is "brilliant" and I thought he was "okay" so I hired him. When I say "hired" I mean, I told him that I wasn't going to pay him, after all I practically raised his wife. Thus, Jed became my Overpaid Blog Designer.
He did good work. Turned out.
At the end of this year I decided it was time to change things again. I knew that the possibility of hiding out in the basement with a crust of bread for three days had no chance. I asked Jed for a new banner, one that would remind me of my first attempt at banners. Except instead of Marie Antoinette I asked to be an angel. I mean, why not? After all, I am no more Marie Antoinette than I am a halo-ed human.
You like it, but you don't know why.Or, you don't like it, but you can't stop looking at it.
You look at it and suddenly you feel transcendent.
Am I right?
Anyway,
As for the layout, Lucy tipped me off to Megan of Knuckleheaders. I had been a fan of Megan's blog for sometime, but was unaware that she had started her own blog design business. We started working on some ideas, and we're still working on some more, but I stand as a witness that she is incredible. Can make dreams come true with no paperwork. Easy to work with and one of the most adept people I have ever e-mailed back and forth. And that isn't meant to hurt anyone's feelings.
I know that not everyone is pleased with my choices, but I can't worry about that. I mean, I come to my blog more than anyone else right? It has to make my day. Besides, Christian's good father told me that my new look was "vintage c jane" and my own mother told me to not "lose the wings on your blog" and I always listen to my elders. And that was definitely not supposed to hurt anyone's feelings.
Besides, wouldn't you miss the wings?
Don't answer that.Jed only takes on clients who can pay his mortgage and send his children to boarding school in Europe. ***UPDATE*** Jed is now taking clients! See here!
Megan takes on clients who are willing to have custom-made blogs.
You can contact her here.
Jed, Megan, I give you sabbatical for the next six months.
Consider it my thank you.
P.S. Want my button?
94 Pieces of Opinion:
Isn't a blog a reflection of the person who writes it? If you want wings, so be it! It is very eye catching.
love the header. and LOVE meg.
love, love, love it! Keep up your awesomeness! (Is that a word?)
Keep the wings, keep it all. Don't change a thing, unless you feel like it!
Thank you, Jed.
Because that Spring of 2007 was not my fave. Totally with Chup on that one.
Love the rest.
I stand as a witness that you make me laugh.
I like all the headers and love how you evolve. You be you--because we like you.
b.
that hurts.
I absolutely adore the wings!! You go girl!
That Spring 07 was the start of something fun, wasn't it?! That's all I'm going to say about that.
I do my own stuff, but I get jealous of the ones that Jed has been doing for you.
And the wings? Freaking brilliant.
Haters to the left.
I love the wings! I love the header! I love the new blog! Heck, I even love Marie Antoinette!
It's your blog, you can change if you want to. Change if you want to. Change if you want to.
Big props to Jed for the creative designs... and to Megan for the fabulous new lay out... and to CJane for the most rockin' blog on the planet! ;)
Note to self: log out of your other blog before posting comments. Sorry!
I love the wings - I even sort of love in a train wreck sort of way, your self imposed header.
Give them 6 months off for sure - no changes needed!
Good golly, you did, in fact, give your blog wings. That's a metaphor we could play with all day long. Via email if you want.
For thank you for the complement. I'm going to put it in my pocket and carry it around wherever I go.
Love your blog! So beautiful!!
I think the banner is great. My only problem I've had is with the size. The banner appears so huge in Firefox that it completely takes up "first view" (I work in the web world) so I have to scroll down to even read the headline of the top post. I tried reducing the size, but then my tired old eyes couldn't read the type anymore.
KEEP the wings! It may be tongue in cheek but you have earned them none the less. Your header makes me smile every time your blog opens. Are you still trying to figure out if you need to address the nasties and change something here. You better not be thinking those thoughts.
Tell me Jed has brothers.....
I have sisters....
Halfmad, I was hoping that you would stop, say a prayer for me, and scroll. That was the reason for the HUGE "first view."
You didn't get that?
Try it tomorrow and get back to me.
Or, I can see what can be done.
you are amazing..keep it up and love the wings...
lots of hugs from CA
I love that I get the inside joke behind your banner. Absolutely perfect!!! And yes, I would miss the wings, so you go ahead and keep them. :)
Oh, and of course I had to click to enlarge your old banner. Quite the up-do you're sporting! Maybe I should try that sometime - designing my own header. I'd be more than ok with losing a few pounds :).
I love your new banner but for some reason on google reader it only shows your first paragraph of all your posts now instead of the whole post. I've been reading your blog for a while now and really enjoying it.
I love the huge page view of the header (now that I've got used to it). It's like a fanfare of trumpets or something. (But I will admit that at first I just wanted the posts!)
I love the marie antoinette one. Love it. I actually love all of them.
I love your new banner!
It makes me smile because of the humor behind it :D
Mind you, over the past few months you have done some pretty angelic deeds and considered them pretty normal so you've definitely earned your wings :D
I love everything about your blog, what a blessing you are!!
I would like to have your button...but I don't know how to add it :o( Not so computer smart.
I am soooo looking forward to tomorrow when Stepanie starts blogging again!! xo
i love the new banner... you earned those wings !!!!!
That's why we have freedom of speech (or in this case typing). It's your blog and like the others have said it should be a reflection of you. I think it looks great.
Connie-AZ
cute header, it does make me laugh. I like Jed's designs better, but that's just preference. I'll try to remember to say a prayer as I scroll down to read your daily muse. I love that I get the "joke" and I love your blog!
Don't you just love graphic design? It's meant to be fun! I actually can't wait to see what's next!
I LOVE the one that you created, it's fabulous!! I say, bring that one back!! :-)
I just miss the freckles. The freckles are just . . . you.
And spicy!
Courtney---I love that your banner reflects the context of your blog. I love that it's an inside joke. I love that the first time I saw it I first thought 'What the...?' (thought I was on the wrong blog!), but then instantly started laughing my butt off at the sheer genius/hilarity/beauty and 'gotcha' effect of it. And it made me feel embraced--that you spoke to your 'regulars' through artwork. You are just WAY COOL in my book!
Congrats on the good fortune of having two really good designers on retainer..heehee.
now....waiting for TandS to make their OFFICIAL declaration of winners. Of course WE know who the winner is anyway! ((((YOU)))) ARE the blogger!
Love you, love your style, love your header.
Shirley
It's marvelous, wings and all. Congrats on your win- wooohooo!
ok, i absolutely LOVE your first banner. i think you should give jed a 12 month sabbatical and use that one again when you're done playing angel! :-D
Your header is just beautiful!
Rock those wings, girlie! If I could afford a custom header, I'd totally get one.
xo
Flicka
I love/read your blog for the content...the graphics and banners are a visual bonus! Since it's your blog, entertain us as you see fit! (and listen to your elders)
I adore the new header. I think it's hilariously cJane and makes my daily trip over here all the more delightsome.
p.s.
forgot to mention (again) how happy I am to have found your blog, though sorry for the sad circumstance. I also wanted to say I'm gettin' a kick outta Jed's pic, what with the heavenly lighting and all. :)
Of course I'll take your button! Feel free to come to my place and check it out! www.securityville.blogspot.com
I like the new look, but I'm a little disappointed that the RSS feed has suddenly stopped sending all the posts.
(Congrats on winning the Weblog award)
I would miss the wings. (That was my lame attempt at HTML, and I hope it worked.)
BTW - even though you have your peeps now - I am in awe of your mediocre design skills. They're way, way more niftty than my practically non-existent design skills.
I love the wings.
I added you button to my (new, trying to figure it out) blog.
I'm sorry if you're getting any mean comments about your header (as always, I'm never sure why people take the time to leave negative and unasked-for feedback), but it's YOU and it makes you happy, and most of us get the joke, so why not? C Jane (and us) enjoy it!
Yes. it makes me laugh. But I'll keep your old button because I am selfish and get attached to things like that. And this time next year, we'll be looking at the button on my page and saying, "Now THAT is vintage Cjane."
My Feeds aren't coming in to my google reader since you update with the redesign. Is there any way you can fix it? Thansk!
I laughed out loud when I saw the wings--to be in on an "inside blog joke" is fun. Thanks.
I think the banner is beautiful. The only thing that could improve it is putting the Chief next to you as a little cherub!
i really like the marie antoinette banner, the flowers sprouting from your shoulders being my favorite part.
and now for something completely selfish...i miss the whole post showing up in my reader...
I love your new look - I think it's fun and creative.
So CJane??? Question sister!!
We all need some lessons on being more kind & humble...and angelic like yourself...What do you think??
We love you dearly!! :)
As far as the headers...Absolutely love it!! It reminds me to be better...so that I can earn my angel wings, they do come free....but with a humble & pure heart!
Hugs
Love the new look. I think that I am a "no wing" person, but maybe that is because I haven't done anything to warrant them. Go for it if you love it.
Always listen to your elders.
I think Jed needs wings too!
I love the new look and I love hearing the history behind it!
[only one problem, your posts have gone all funny in Google Reader??]
Love, love, love it!
Love the new look, especially the header. And the wings? Definitely spicy! Don't change a thing....unless you want to (of course).
You don't know me, but I'm very grateful to feel I know you. I've watched and read the last few months how you have handled with such grace and love a family sorrow and triumph. I feel such admiration for your parents (who I do know), your entire clan of aunts, uncles, and cousins (some of who I know), and for Stephanie and Christian (who I pray for often). In my book, you are right up there with the angels, and your little guy is a perfectly adorable cherub! God Bless.
WOW!! I haven't seen Jed in years! Love the blog and all the headers. thanks.
I actually liked the older ones better...luckily I really like the content of your blog and will read regardless. Also, I usually read in an RSS feeder and miss out on most people's blog design, except when i comment.
I really do love love love your blog. also I love the picture you put up of your baby with headphones by the Christmas tree. I think of it and smile, so cute!
Love it and I grabbed your new button. You are a sweetheart.
First of all, you are lovely and that blog banner is amazing and if you change it I will lose all faith in freedom of art. Everyone who tells you differently is just super jelly that their blog banner isn't a gorgeous tribute to themselves and their achievements in life. And by the way, if anyone deserves angel wings early, sista, its you.
The new banner may keep me away for 6 months. Your posts are enjoyable so I'll check back in the summer.
I l♥ve it all, especially the wings! It makes me smile.
I'm in the process right now of trying to redo my header and blog design, by myself and sadly it does take so much time and so many cups of hot cocoa to keep me sane that I GAINED 3 pounds just this last week. I better hurry up and finish before it becomes worse.
That's cool, but I'm still wondering where you got your pink skirt and shoes from that lovely photo the other day...
I'm bummed about the RSS feed too, anyway to get the whole posts sent again? I love the header, cracked me up when I first saw it.
I *love* the wings. They make me giggle every time I hit your blog.
you turned off full feeeeeed!!! why oh why? i can't open your blog from work. i don't get pictures at work, either. but i can read the words that you write in google reader. and i click later to see your pictures. i've never commented, the comments are usually up in the 400s and closed.
huh...67. that's not so bad.
Megan really is the greatest. She has done more than beautify my blog, she has performed plastic surgery.
And geez, you are SO self-centered with your wings.
Isn't that what I am supposed to say if I comment? Seems like the trend these days.
I really enjoy reading your blog! However, I dislike it when bloggers decide to feed only titles in their RSS feed instead of the full post. I aggregate everything into my google reader account for efficiency.
If you have chosen to change your RSS feed for revenue growth, I suggest adding an ad to every post instead. Many blogs do this so that their posts will go to RSS readers and still have an ad. For an example see icanhascheezburger. I don't want to stop reading your blog :(
I like the wings. Your banner is very creative and makes me hear the Hallelujah Corus in the recesses of my mind.
You can't please everyone, so may as well please yourself.
-FringeGirl
dear c jane,
i love your blog because it makes me a better writer. i know that couldn't be more unrelated to your post, but i just wanted to tell you that. it's great to have a hipcoolmomgrownup woman writer role model.
Julie
ohjulieanna.blogspot.com
Ask and ye shall receive! Thanks for the new button and for the refreshing honesty and all around positive outlook on life! Love it! Keep it up!
I vote to bring Marie back. She had some spice. Maybe Marie can return as a turning point in Nie coming back to her blog and you coming back to yours....
I always loved stuff coming out of your head. That should be the theme --seasonally change what comes out of your head --- fruit, flowers, squash, clouds, mashed potatoes, wheat grass...
I think you get it.
love the blog - regardless of the banner :) keep the wings, though, either angel wings (cuz you are!) or bird wings - as they lift us up...i scroll down, so only see the banner for like a millisecond! i love to laugh and feel inspired, and know that somewhere in the big wide world, there's a mommy and auntie (and bunch of other great people) who are living best they can, like i'm trying to do...:)
First, call me crazy, I really like the Marie Antoinette header. Second, don't EVER lose the wings. Last, I am a firm believer that our blogs are meant for our own pleasure or therapy. As such, it MUST reflect us.... and for all the crabby pants that disagree, TOO BAD!
looovvveee the new header. love the wings. love reading your blog every day. thanks for giving of yourself to us!
Je suis toujours une big fan de toi, et j'aime bien l'ange du cjane. C'est la vérité, lo.
Jed Wells - you designed my wedding announcement. Then, I went to law school in Ann Arbor and met your brother Greg. He said he was the genius behind your design, but you obviously have talent, too. Anyway, we named our first son the same name as your nephew (Greg's oldest). Link me to some blogs (like Greg's family, if he has one) (jordanflakefree@gmail.com)
Jed looks so familiar to me... like a very funny guy on SNL? Maybe he is a very funny guy who should be on SNL?
Halfmad, I was hoping that you would stop, say a prayer for me, and scroll. That was the reason for the HUGE "first view."
You didn't get that?
--
LOL -- sorry, not my avenue! I'll tell my Catholic mom, though.
That photo of Jed is hysterical, incidentally. Who took that?
Oh no!! What happened?! Now only the first paragraph of each of your post appears on Google Reader.
PLEASE SWITCH BACK!!!!!!!! Or at least explain yourself honestly.
I would definitely miss the wings.
I have to agree..I couldn't take my eyes off the header...
I am still not sure why!
Love your creative spirit!
Change is always good. I personally love the one with the bird saying "enjoy it". Makes me laugh. Birds are full of wisdom.
Heavens to Betsy! I just noticed that Web Designer Extraordinaire Jed is none other than Pozzi, my MTC Italian instructor! Wow, small world. BTW, love following your blog (even now that NieNie posts are not central themes).
I would totally miss the wings! Good job listening to your elders, they are spot on!
that picture of the 38 year old virgin is AWESOME! I mean Jed, not you.
your wings however HAVE TO STAY!
please, don't ever lose your halo and wings...
you've earned them.
Love the header! In the change, did you happen to also change how us Google Reader folks can read the posts? I don't see full posts anymore, and sometimes not pictures, either. As much as I LOVE your new header, I also like the semi-anonymity of reading your blog at work through my google reader. So, if you did change something with respect to reader, please, please change it back (but keep the awesome header!)
I love you but I'm sorry I just dont like the banner. Something about your eyes are kind of spooky and I find myself hurrying to scroll down to read your post.
I agree the banner is so vintage...and so fitting because you are "like totally an angelic being", it sort of reminds me of a prayer candle you see at walmart or something, like "c jane the patron saint of blogging"...and because it reminds me about the previous post you did with the comment from the person who knows nothing about sarcasm. See there you go again saying how great you are, I mean how vain to add a halo above your head. I love reading your blog, it makes me happy and laugh.
Dear c jane,
I have loved you unconditionally since the day I met you, but I have to say that I question your linking to a blog that is so far removed from the tone and purpose of yours and your sisters' blogs (that would be Megan's, not autoblog). I appreciate a good sense of humor, but prefer one that uplifts fellow women and mothers as opposed to one who degrades others by making fun of what they choose to post on their own blogs. Many mothers (myself included) blog for the same reason your sister gave when she started her blog--to keep in touch with distant family members. I wasn't so much offended by her blog, just surprised by the tone, which seemed to be in stark contrast to both of your blogs, and not very much in keeping with the Mormon spirit of loving everyone. Just thought I'd share my two cents!
Love to you and Nie!
I love, love, love your blog. Could read your writing all day long - honestly! But I don't care for the new header. I did just read on another comment that it was an inside joke so maybe it's just because I don't know the joke. Hm *shrug*. Still love the blog though. :)
Complaining about the feed? Really?
Partial feeds are to encourage you to click over to the blog, where your eyeballs see the ads, and then the advertisers give cjane money, and then the money goes to the recovery fund.
I find clicking over a SMALL price to pay so that a little more can go into the Nie Recovery Fund. It's like donating money, but not actually digging in your pockets and forking out.
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