Hey guys. Okay. I’m baaaack. I haven’t updated in a while because I’ve been busy tweaking the site for (yet another) redesign. I’ve had Funky Brown Chick for many many years, and this is something like the 15th iteration. In case any of you are interested to see how the site has changed over the years, I might upload and post a few old screen captures to my Flickr. As usual, I stuck with a pink template. I think it’s a pretty color, so I splashed it all over my site. So, yeah, welcome to the newer, pinker blog. ;)
You’ll notice a few changes. The most recent version of the site had something like 20+ static pages — i.e. audio, video, TV, bio, press, articles, archives, etc., etc. (The number of posts hasn’t changed — approximately 850+ and counting!_ To streamline and clean up the static pages, I’ve reduced the number to 7. If you’d still like to see my press clips or read magazine and newspaper articles I’ve written, see my online home for various creative projects: TwannaHines.com.
I design, code and back up my site 100% by myself. I’m sooooo not a designer. So, additional updates are coming but it might time a little while. For example, I need to better-integrate the color themes for the google ads, insert ads on single pages, increase the size of my logo, pimp out my footer with Flickr RSS and make other changes. I know HOW to do that stuff. Finding TIME to do it is a different story. The only thing I’m getting totally stuck on at the moment is the comments.php stuff. I STILL have to figure out how to get the threaded comments up and running. So, if you’ve got php skills, live in Manhattan and are familiar with Matt Mullenweg‘s baby, email me so we can set up a 20-minute “Twanna needs comments php help” crash session. I’ll even buy you a beer.
I want to know what you think about the site and, of course, I want the site to work for you guys. Give me feedback!! :) Is there anything that was on the old site that’s no longer available on the new design and you’d like to have it back? Is there something I’ve never had on my site that you’d like to see present? Is there anything on the new design that you think is particular fun and/or more interesting than the old one? Leave your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks!!
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t live in manhattan, I know exactly dick about php, and I don’t know who Matt Mullenwig is. I’ll take that beer anyway, though. :) >Glug, glug!< Ahhhh!
No, I don’t write code, I break it. I can break it for you, if you like. What’s your average hit rate? I can tell you how the site would hold up if suddenly you got a fresh influx of, say, quadruple your average.
Nice site design. Clean and fresh, like lemon dishwashing detergent. My only beef is that the logo *definitely* is too small. Your readers want it bigger. Oh yeah, bigger! BIGGER!
OK, I’ll calm down now.
Twanna, I luv the new look. Very sleek.
The logo is indeed too small. Your RSS feed still works, so I’m fairly happy. I think what I like best is ‘What You’re Saying Right Now’ and so I’m glad you’ve kept that. It brings my attention to old articles which other people are still reading. I think it’d be nicer if your ads and menus weren’t mixed up–say one column for adverts, and one for menus like categories, recent posts, popular posts, etc. That would make navigation a bit easier. As long as I’m asking, it’d be great if the ads were on the far right, or if you could get rid of that annoying advert I’m currently seeing. I don’t mind adverts, as I know you have to pay for it somehow, but moving adverts really irk me.
I am loving the new aesthetics, my dear; you may not be an official designer, but your product certainly looks good. The only crit I could possibly give is to agree that your logo artwork is a bit small, so you might want to bump that up a bit, but other than that everything looks fabulous!
Also, I would love to see previous iterations of your site design; let me know when you post those screen grabs on your Flickr! :-)
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Hi Tawanna,
The logo is too small. Otherwise the rest is great.
Jolie
Blog looks sooooooooooo much better!!!
Logo could be a bit bigger!
this is hellacool……
lamesabassman……. kick out the jams…..
like the new design. clean, feminine and simple :)
Baba: Glad you like the design! :) And, yeah, I soooo need to make the logo bigger. Figured out how to change the CSS to make that happen. Will try to tackle that soon.
LexiB: Thank you! :)
A:Yeah, I know a lot of people don’t like flashing / moving ads. I placed it a bit further down the page so it wouldn’t be too distracting. The ads help pay for my site maintenance and stuff, so I can’t completely get rid of them. But, I like your suggestion of moving them all in the same column. Added to the “good suggestion!!” list that’s I’ll work on over the weekend and/or next week.
Atherton: Check and check. I’ll make logo bigger, and I’ll upload images of the previous screen shots.
Rob: DIE SPAMMERS, DIE!!! :)
JOLIE: THANKS for the kind words but oooooh, girl, if you spell my name incorrectly one more time, I’m gonna do (virtual) naughty things to you!!!! ;) Didn’t we go through this before? :) “Twanna” like “Anna” with T and W in front or “Twanna with only 2 As and 2 Ns. Or, when saying it, only two syllables instead of three — “TWA-NUH” not “TAAA” “WAAA” “NAAA” :)
AppleJess: Thanks. And, yep, logo is going to be bigger soon.
Lamesabassman: THANK YOU. :)
Carolina Pereira: Yeah, it’s that time of year — spring cleaning. :) I wanted to clean up the blog, my apartment, my finances, etc. I’m really in the mood to start off fresh and get everything in order. So, I think the new design kind of reflects that: simple. cleaner. less clutter.
i likes the new look…
sooo….. where does one hide the cupcakes on this island……
lamesabassman….. and yes…. I really like what you have done with the place…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUOgGNaNOxc
To write a real name would probably make me a touch paranoid. Perhaps.
Welcome back! You were missed. Love the new look.
letinstar: Thanks!! :)
lamesabassman: :)
Lethargic Addict: John Lennon, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not after you.” ;)
tryinhrd2: Thanks, babes! :)