Today the blog is two years old!
To celebrate, I’ve freshened up the design a bit. Yes that’s right, I celebrated by creating work for myself. ;) Nothing drastic, but I’ve cleaned up the layout a bit, changed the proportions, and quieted the color scheme. This is the fifth design I’ve done for Making it Lovely.
I still have some refining to do and a few bells and whistles to add, but the new look is nearly done. Let me know if you notice anything odd (I’ve been working on this very late at night while very sleepy). Oh, and I’ve added support for twitter avatars as well as gravatars, so if you have one or the other your picture should show up when you comment.
Thank you all for reading and commenting, for your friendship and support, and just for all around making my day!
66 comments
candace
Nicole – Your site is LOVELY!!! A true inspiration. I am in the process of decorating our house. Its a fantastic house but it does not feel like home yet. Your home seems like a place i would never want to leave. Thank you for sharing and look forward to reading more.
Many Blessings!!
Kimora
Nice layout…love it
puglyfeet
I’ve combed through Smart & Lovely — I’m taken by all your designs.. What software do you use to layout your page (ie. photoshop, illustrator… dreamweaver)?
alivicwl
I can see the polka dots now :)
You must have put hex tiles on all our minds with your vintage bathroom post, Nicole!
{this is glamorous}
Happy second blog birthday! The changes look fantastic.
kandice
i like the new blog. its very light. aaaaaand i just requested to be your friend on myspace! yaaaay!!!!!!!! (hopefully i will be added, hahaha)
Shashi
Beautiful!
Ami @ Elizabeth Anne Designs
happy blogoversary!
Making it Lovely
OK, I’ve updated the photos in the sidebar so that they refresh each time the page is loaded, and now they link to the post they originally appeared in.
Catherine, the owl is a vintage cookie jar.
Tracy, I use Photoshop to create the boards.
Re: the “hex tiles”… it’s funny that everyone sees them that way! They’re actually imperfect polka dots – the same ones I designed for the shop, just scaled down.
Kristy, I helped my sister make that purse! Then she promptly “lost” it – I’m not sure how much she really liked it.
Melissa Lewis - Off The Wall
Congrats on the two years! Your blog looks great, and is as always, very inspiring!
kristy
love it – very subtle and lovely!
I do want to ask about the bag/purse featured in redesigns 3 and 4 – I LOVE it – and am curious if it might still be available somewhere. Can you give me more information?
Thanks!
coral
Looks great!
I just wanted to thank you for the time and effort you have put into your blog. Having these places I can come to everyday to keep myself fresh and inspired has really changed my outlook on design, and keeps me in the loop even when I live in a rural area. And all the more personal posts you put up here just make you seem more real, and your blog about more than just buying products and commercialism, but about creating a home.
Keren @ ChicTip
Congratulations !! 2 years old!! very impressive..
And the site looks great!
lace&tea
Wow, gorgeous.
Julie Anne
And thanks for all of your hard work bringing us your blog!
I stumbled upon you one night when I couldn’t sleep and was looking for storage ideas, and one link led me to another, which led me to you.
Now, you are one of four web sites I must visit before I leave the house for the day (and the others include my two local major dailies and the New York Times.)
Making it Lovely just makes me happy.
At Home with Kim Vallee
Your latest blog design kept its personality but your refinement better highlights the content. I like it! Your new picture is adorable.
Happy 2nd Anniversary! I wish you many more years because I enjoy what you are doing.
Valerie from Studio Rose Flash
Very streamline, yet cosy at the same time. I love your new design! Sometime a dab of paint here and there just refreshes the room,… err, blog :) Nice job, and Happy 2nd bloganniversary! Cheers!
Manda
Fantastic job, love the new design. Congrats on two years, can’t wait to see how it evolves over the next two!
Shannon
Beautiful! You have impeccable taste and SUCH style! Of all the blogs I read (and there are lots), yours is my favorite. I wish I could hire you to decorate my house!
Danielle Melnyczenko
Happy 2nd Bday
dv
smashing job =) i love your blog and all your ideas – i wish you had a tv show!
gabbi
Loved the look before, but this is even more fabulous!
alivicwil
It’s lovely (of course)!
I’m having a little trouble with the ‘hex tiles’ though – the resolution seems a bit screwy. I’ve tried playing with my resolution, but it’s not making much difference,
Taylor
I noticed earlier today and it looks great!
Happy 2nd b’day!
Tracy
Happy B’day to your blog! I’ve been reading for a couple of months now and really love your style. (Especially love your idea boards and would like to know what kind of magic you use to create them!) Your new layout looks great!
Design Lovely
Looks gorgeous! I like this cleaner look but of course they are all lovely!
catherine
i love the redesign. but now that the really cute ceramic owl is front and center, i want to know where it’s from! or at least a link to the post that tells me more about it.
Had
Love the new flowers — more sophisticated.
marcy wacker
the sites looks great! simpler, calmer, i love it. i really like your new photo, too!
Pen & Ink
Congratulations on two lovely years! The redesign is gorgeous!
– Lisa
Michele
As usual, amazing design!
Krissy
The redesign looks lovely! Well done.
Caitlin @ C³
Wow, two years already?!
Was this redesign finished (or at least partially finished) yesterday? I swear I saw it then…
Looks GREAT! ^_^
MMW
Looks lovely Nicole. I hope I can look as great at my next birthday.
Kylie
It looks gorgeous!! I love the softer colours. :)
I don’t know if it’s just me, but on the main part of the blog your wishlist doesn’t show, but then now that I’m commenting I can see it.
Making it Lovely
Holly, the Amazon store’s still here, I just took down the sidebar link. I’m not sure if I’ll add it back up or not (the link is also listed under the ‘pages’ section up top).
Allison aka HaselBride
I am so dying to redesign… Love the new look as always!
decor8
You are so talented and this is gorgeous. The new color scheme is very neutral and so it gives your photos a chance to really stand out. Fantastic job. I love the background grid paper and the hive pattern as well. It’s there but it’s not THERE. Excellent work.
Do you still have a Amazon store?
John
Inspiring as usual, Nicole!
Must resist urge… to… redesign… our… blog..
Amy
happy 2 year! love the redesign too, very classy :)
Sarah
Wow, I just stumbled upon your blog via retroaudrey and i think i’m in love! Can’t wait to look around endlessly!
Carrie
Gorgeous, as usual!
nichole
Love it!
Birdie
It’s like a cute bathroom floor in here. Nice!
Jules
Happy 2 years! I love the new look.
Dara
Oh! It is VERY lovely. I can’t believe its been two years! I love watching your progress. You are super-talented.
Making it Lovely
The pictures are part of the planned bells and whistles… each time the blog is reloaded they’ll change (and possibly link to the post that the photo came from – I’m not sure yet).
Casey, the plugin is brand new from Smashing Magazine: twittar.
flights of fancy
Loving the new layout…very pretty.
Jessica
This looks great. I love the pictures you added to the sidebar.
rachel best
Oooh, I love the new the layout! Seems perfect!
cherilyn
Nicole – Happy 2 years! The new design looks great, very fresh, I like it a lot!
Casey
This is my favorite so far! What plugin are you using to display Twitter icons? Very cool.
Bernadette
Love it!
You have indeed made it lovelier!
lori
so lovely!
Michelle @Everyday Celebrating
I heart your blog. I just gotta tell you that when I come here.. I just sigh and relax. I love the colors and the layout. It’s just… relaxing to read. Thanks and happy 2 years!
Renate
Absolutely perfect layout. :) Congratulations on the two years!
Holly
Wow! Only two years? I’m super impressed. I’ve been blogging for almost 3 and my site still looks MUCHO GENERICO!
You are talented!
Miss B.
As always, just lovely! Happy B day!!!
Sherry
Of course it looks flawless. Loving it.
xo,
s
Desiree Fawn
Lovely! I just did a revamp on my blog too — http://desireefawn.blogspot.com
It’s so nice to have a new look!
ileana
Looks great, Nicole!
megan
Looks great!
Jessica
Congrats! And I am liking the new layout/colors…
Jessica
http://blackwhiteyellow.blogspot.com/
Erica
i love seeing your creative process! the layouts keep getting better and better ;)
amy purple
Looks super sharp – as always! Two years already?
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