For What It's Worth


Friday, March 21, 2014

Impromptu break…

In keeping with my more laid back blogging style this year, I took an unplanned week off because I didn’t feel like writing reviews or formatting posts. I take it as sign of becoming healthy blogger that I only got twitchy once or twice about this. lol

As you can see, I’m dabbling with my blog design. Any thoughts? I think there’s a little too much minty green, especially in the sidebar but I like the background and simple header. I used free programs so I’m playing and tweaking.

Anyone looking to play around with your blog background should checkout this cool website - Pattern Cooler. There are 100’s of seamless backgrounds to choose from, as well as editing tools to change colors/transparency etc. All free. I used PicMonkey for the header. Basics are free or upgrade for more tools/features.

Back to book-ish things. Even though I haven’t felt like blogging I have been reading.
Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaria, Apples Should Be Red by Penny Watson, (great little novella about late 50’s/early 60’s man and woman who find love again), Hot and Bothered by Kate Meader, the Dare Island series by Virginia Kantra, A Matchless Romance by Christi Barth and I’m currently reading Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna.

I’ll have reviews coming up for several of those titles, but I can say that I recommend every one of them.

I missed Tune in Tuesday – so I’ll end on a music video…

KONGOS – Come With Me Now

26 comments:

  1. Breaks from reading and blogging are so good. I found that I need fun reading mixed in :) Love the minty green look , but then I also love mint ice cream

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    1. My blog does make me think of mint chocolate chip ice cream lol

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  2. Every once in awhile I'll take a day off from Blogging where I don't do or post anything. It's nice and gives me a day to re-energize. I used to have so much guilt doing so but over the years I've been able to stomp that down and really just do it. Still get twitchy if I go a week though but good for you being able to!

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  3. It's always a good idea to take breaks here and there. Sometimes I'm off my blog for a bit because of so much going on in "real life." It's always nice to come back with new posts though! I like the background - it's cute! And I really want to read Love Letters to the Dead. glad you recommend.

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  4. I only get a little twitchy when I'm away from the blog. Okay, a lot. But I do try to be a healthy blogger. For me, that means binge reading and getting behind on reviews but it works.

    Love the header and the minty green but it is a little hard to read on the background when the font in 10 pt or less. But I have bad eyes so take this with a grain of salt!

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  5. I do like your blog but hm...perhaps a tad bit too much mint...but not really cos I love the color

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  6. I'm liking the blog! I hope you're enjoying your break. I can't wait to see what you think of Letters to the Dead, A Matchless Romance and Her Best Laid Plans.

    Enjoy your time!

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    1. I just finished Best Laid Plans. Not that I expected anything different - but I LOVED it!

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  7. Hm... I need to not be so twitchy about not having a post all ready to go a week ahead. LOL I should take a break.

    Can't wait to see what else you tweak in the blog. Sometimes that is fun to do. :)

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  8. Yay Penny! (Love her)

    I heart your minty green. :)

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  9. Thanks for the pattern cooler tip, I want to change mine too! The blog looks nice, is your background a cheetah print? The mint doesn't look too minty, more like light teal (fluck colors shades). I do love the contrast of the maroon with your theme, the maroon I'm seeing is in this MY FREE COPYRIGHT badge.

    I feel yah, I've been so lazy lately I would just binge read and do one post. Easier that way.

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    1. I clicked on the "Leopard Skin Twist" then it pulls up all the color options they have available but once you pick one you can change it anyway. If you know color codes then it's even easier. That's what I did. I picked a lighter pattern, then used the green color code and then upped the transparency. The options are endless on that thing.

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  10. I think that its looking good! enjoy your break and books

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  11. I think it's funny how you think a week off is a long time. I'm happy to be able to get 1 post every 10 days or so. One thing about Jury Duty is I'm getting a lot of reading done however. I do want to read Letters to the Dead.

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  12. Quote: "As you can see, I’m dabbling with my blog design. Any thoughts?"
    Well, it's different. And a little wild ;). My only complaint would be that this shade of green text is not the easiest to read on your background. For me at least...because I'm aware that it depends on the screen and its properties...
    Ah, relaxed blogging. You've worked hard to get where you are in the blogging world - so I think you definitely earned it!

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    1. What's weird is that the hyperlink text doesn't show up for me but when I've looked at it on other people's computer's it's too light for me too. I tried bolding but I think I need to darken it some.

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    2. If you check back - I changed the links to a purple color. Better?

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    3. Yes, it stands out now! Thanks :).

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  13. I am taking the weekend off (see how well that's working - ha! but there is a time difference and I woke up at 6 am.) I agree with Roberta that maybe a slightly darker or brighter shade of green would have a little more contrast? But I really like the background. I'm always convinced that my blog is hard to read but I also think that my eyes are getting worse....
    Jen @ YA Romantics

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    1. I just changed the links to a deep purple. It hunk that helps.

      I know what you mean. I have a large computer screen so some things are easier on my eyes with it (like fonts) or overwhelming (like colors & backgrounds) It's hard to tell what will work for the masses.

      Your blog isn't hard to read at all.

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  14. Glad to see that you're relaxing when it comes to blogging. I don't think I would be able to do that, just because I'm so OCD and have to make everything is perfect. Also I kind of like the stress of the blogging, and the rewarding feeling I get when I post something good, and people comment or really like it! Glad to see this is working out for you, and LOVE the new layout! SUPER CUTE!

    Lisa
    www.turningpages94.blogspot.com

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  15. I love the green!!! breaks are great and necessary!!

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  16. Enjoy your break, it's good to take time off!

    And I like the new background and I don't think there's too much green!

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  17. I'm curious about your thoughts on Love Letters to the Dead. I had a lot of mixed feelings about it. I liked it, but boy, it was dark for me.
    I like the design! And that's cool if you can do all of it for free!

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    1. I had mixed feelings too. It was very dark but I could relate to a lot of it. Although - I had to set it aside at times because of how intense it was.

      I'll be reviewing it this week.

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  18. I've been doing the same periodically...I get twitchy too..but I force myself to keeps hands off the PC and on the books instead!

    PS I like the green...looks very crisp.

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