I promised you I would have a new look to OOAKWI- however it took a little longer then I expected because I had to do a bit of behind the scenes work on here (mainly cutting down categories) to get it in good enough shape to transfer over to the new template.
The problems I faced with OOAKWI in its former format was that I felt the hierarchical blog format was hard to navigate for visitors who were looking for “real” research information on vintage items. I felt that it was difficult to navigate for someone who came in on from Google and perhaps wanted to read more on similar topics. The feeling was that the surrounding posts were most likely not closely related and that a visitor coming into to view articles on vintage jewelry would not want to read about David Hasselhoff bikini belt buckles and possibly be put off by the surrounding posts. Yet at the same time I did not want to alienate my blog readers who tend to hang out, because they either like my humor or as in Dan’s case like to harass me.
My initial solution to this problem was to make two spin off blogs- Vintage Jewelry Pictures and One of a Kind Photography (a vernacular photography blog). Although it was a great solution to keep the serious jewelry hounds separate from the postings on Underoo’s- it seemed a lot of work to blog at several blogs, when in fact I am blogging about all things vintage!
When Teeni commented to this effect- it really got me to thinking “why can’t I keep everything under one roof so to speak.” I found out soon enough that managing several blogs was draining valuable time from expanding my eBay business and with the holiday e-retail season fast approaching I didn’t want to waste much more time on several smaller blogs.
My solution was to use the Revolution ProMedia Template by Brian Gardner. I felt it was the perfect solution to bring both Vintage Jewelry Pics and One of a Kind Photography posting back to OOAKWI.
The logo has been updated because I wanted a unified logo for my vintage brand-not just for my blog/website, but for my eBay store and for the new Prostore I have recently opened online.
Prominent links will be added up top on this site to my new ecommerce store and to my auctions. Posts from my other blogs will need to be moved here and I opened a flickr account to showcase some of the vintage pictures (particularly jewelry) that are featured on here. The blog roll needs updating because I have found a lot new blogs through Entrecard that are great reads and enhance the reference materials on here.
Thankfully my husband has been able to make all the customizations I could never do and has really made OOAKWI look and feel the way I wanted. Thanks SWEETIE!
I hope you like the new look and find it easy to navigate- for me it’s been a little different working with the backend and learning how to post pictures that are compatible with the template- but over all I am very happy with the new look.
Nice new look!
Wow. I just sent you an email saying I couldn’t find the comment form on your site then I came back over and it was right here waiting for me. You work fast! LOL.
Anyway, I’m glad things will be simpler for you – I’m all about THAT! And thanks for giving me a little credit and linky love. It’s nice to know that I had a part in something positive for you.
I really do like the new look here and I think the tabs are actually great for your different blog “departments.”
I love the new look of the site!
Wow Michelle, your new look is thrilling, I am amazed, and little jealous as well. Congrats! Your blog really looks professional now.
Very very nice! Can you fix my sites up like this to ??
@ Dan – if I didn’t know you- I would say that was a spam comment
Teeni- after about a week of posting at 3 blogs your comment started haunting me- “why why why- can’t I put them all under one roof…” 5 kids and 3 or 4 blogs don’t mix
Kalilea – thanks I am going to add you to my blog roll- but I want a widget first instead of manually putting in links on the page…
JC- WOW thrilling and professional- that is the best comment of the year- I am sitting here with a stupid grinning thinking I should print your comment and frame it
Speedcat- I can’t fix your site like this but Jer could- but you have to ask this question could we the world handle an online magazine about Speedcat? BTW- there’s so much I could snag from your site, sleestaks and Evel Knievel etc, I smell vintage on your blog and I am not liking the competition! ARG ;0)
If it looked like a spam comment, it’s only because my eMail eliminated the need to double-post here. You see, I was originally going to comment about how I couldn’t comment, but as there was no comment form at the time, I could not do that. So, I sent you an eMail and when you got the comment form up, all that was left to say was “Nice new look!” instead of my original would-be comment of “Nice new look but how do I leave a comment?”
Speedcat’s into vintage? Hmmm. Maybe I can get him to guest post on my vintage blog…
HEy HEy hEy who let the spammer in here! It’s not I who started this one- this actually stems from your readership calling me out as a spammer in your comments. Remember that one- you always start it, but I get blamed!
Hmm I signed up for a gravatar and yet it does not show up on my own blog….
I figured that was someone that knew you.
Why are you using gravatars? Don’t most people use MyAvatars? I don’t want to have to sign up with yet another service.
Nope- didn’t know me at all…
The gravatar thingie came with the template- I am probably giving it the boot- because there are some avatars I don’t want on my sites. My kids read my blog and despite being a little strange, I live in a land of make believe sort of like Mr. Rogers.
Nice new look, makes me want to redesign the photoblog. Isn’t it supposed to be OOAKWI?
Pete- you win a genius award for pointing it out! Yes- I started this post in the middle of the night like 4am because I was so excited and I wondered why I had to add my abbreviation to the dictionary again… DUH!
Blame it on the excitement- I love working with my new blog, because I think it showcases pictures better! Which I take tons for eBay and now I can use them more on here.
It’s nice to meet a fellow WAHM of 5!!! I don’t know what your blog looked like before, but it sure looks good now