Ode to Brian Gardner
Written by whoorl · Filed Under happy happy joy joy
Early last spring, I noticed this link to my blog. After coming to the realization that those words were written by the King of WordPress Web Design himself, I did what any self-respecting blogger would do. I gave him a virtually meaningless award.
(That crazy Whoorl. She’s always thinking, yes?)
Well, HELL. What would you do? He’s a Technorati Top 100 Blogger! The Dooce of WordPress! I was blinded by his web presence!
So. I awarded him the unbelievably prestigious Whoorlie, he left a nice comment and that was that. Months passed and at the end of this summer, I noticed this post on Brian’s website. And don’t think for a second that I didn’t immediately take a screen grab of that post for future reference. I mean, HELL, the King was offering to redesign my site for FREE.
But you guys don’t understand. I’m a control FREAK. I knew I would never take him up on the offer because I couldn’t possibly relinquish that much control over something so important to me. Plus, hello! I need to have my hands into everything, and what designer wants to deal with that?
Well, then I blew up my website, which changed my line of thinking really quick. I sent Brian an email, taking him up on his offer and he obliged. Now, I’m pretty sure the next step would usually involve the client and designer discussing ideas for the new look. You know, something to the effect of, “I like [insert color] and [insert color] and a [insert style] look. What do you think?”
Instead, Brian got this Photoshop mock-up in his inbox.
HI! I’M WHOORL! I LIKE TO CONTROL YOU! DO NOT LOOK AWAY! DO NOT DEVIATE FROM PLAN!
Surprise, surprise. I had my design down to the padding width, but the kicker was that I wanted to use one of Brian’s themes because, well DUH, his Wordpress themes are widely recognized as some of the best out there. Seriously.
So, Brian modified his very popular Revolution theme and Voila! Exactly what I wanted. Man, he ROCKS.
Anyway, here’s my new site! Just the way I like it, clean and modern and lovely!
Check out the navigation bar up top- you can now go directly to my Hair Thursday posts or to my newest ParentDish articles. Also, if you refresh your page, you’ll notice different masthead images rotating - all of those images are of my husband’s artwork. (You can see more of his photos and art here.)
I’m happy as a clam! (Who came up with that one?) Thank you, Brian Gardner!
Brian Gardner
October 23rd, 2007 7:01 amSarah, the pleasure was all mine!
180/360
October 23rd, 2007 7:19 amThat masthead looks Charley Harper-ish! I like the new look. :)
bethany actually
October 23rd, 2007 7:23 amI do love a rotating banner. The new design looks great. Good work, Whoorl & Brian!
little miss mel
October 23rd, 2007 7:28 amI dig, I dig!
Heather B.
October 23rd, 2007 7:33 amIt looks AWESOME.
Moose
October 23rd, 2007 7:36 amBeautiful! I love it.
amy
October 23rd, 2007 7:51 amits gorgeous. love it.
Jessica
October 23rd, 2007 7:59 amI have NO idea what the hell you’re talking about. But, I like your new design, and this Brian Gardner dude seems cool enough… But ACK with the HTML talk already! You’re making my head spin :)
…kidding…
Ashlie
October 23rd, 2007 8:00 amI really like your new theme! I just redid mine. After accidentely deleting it. Gah.
Angella
October 23rd, 2007 8:06 amSweetness. This kind of stuff makes me happy. Love the new look!
LVGurl
October 23rd, 2007 8:16 amI really, REALLY LUUUUUUUUUUV this new look! I adore the layout, the two columns made possible by the extensive navigation bar.
(Great, now I have another reason to snoop around for a new template and screw up my site ;)
sizzle
October 23rd, 2007 8:28 amlooks fantastique! very you. very hip. very stylish. love it.
OMSH
October 23rd, 2007 8:33 amAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Nice.Clean.Valid.
I’m hoping my new design is up in time for Nov. 1. We’ll see.
Good work Mr. Gardener.
mcgee
October 23rd, 2007 9:04 amthe new look is fantastic…i love it!
Isabel
October 23rd, 2007 9:13 amLooks great! Hooray.
janet
October 23rd, 2007 9:48 amoh, jealous! I’ve been pondering a redesign myself, but I don’t know CSS and I don’t know Brian. I need to get working on that!
Brian Gardner
October 23rd, 2007 9:50 amDear Janet,
This is Brian, nice to meet you.
P.S. Now you know me! :)
bethany
October 23rd, 2007 10:11 amLooks great Whoorl, did you tach yourself wed design? It makes me feel dumber than a dump truck…
deb
October 23rd, 2007 10:20 amJust stunning! Suddenly, I’m itching for a redesign…
Tonya
October 23rd, 2007 10:39 amLovely! So clean and uncluttered. So unlike my site. Thanks for the reminder to redesign my site already! Jesus.
Rattling The Kettle
October 23rd, 2007 11:02 amLooks great! Well done, Brian. I love how the white title letters blend ever so subtly into the masthead, like they’re melting.
am'ti b
October 23rd, 2007 11:08 amfun! collage/whoorl central, now i get the two of you with just one click, that will get me thru the next 7 months-when i see you again!
thanks.
Allison
October 23rd, 2007 12:30 pmI have 4 things:
1) whoorl.com looks GORGEOUS! And I’m jealous of all of this computer talk that means absolutely nothing to me!
2) I’m getting my hair cut again on Thursday - It’ll be even closer to the Hair Thursday winner now!
3) Molly and I ordered boar bristle brushes by Marilyn… We are impatiently waiting for them to come…
4) Sarah and lovely family - are you safe from the fires? I’m not sure of your location other than ‘California’ so I thought I’d give out my well wishes and hope all is well in the Whoorly household!
Karen
October 23rd, 2007 12:40 pmBeautiful, just beautiful.
Leaf, probably...
October 23rd, 2007 3:56 pmLovely new theme, its very tidy and sharp!
Manda
October 23rd, 2007 4:37 pmWOAH! I went out of town this weekend…what a nightmare!! I have totally MESSED UP my code too and can totally relate on the perfectionist front. It got so bad I had to just open up a Typepad blog and move on. Now I’m toying with the idea of Starting Over on Wordpress and uh, NEVERMIND. At least for a while. :)
Love the new look! Congrats on your good fortune and your brush with celebrity!!!
Miguelina
October 23rd, 2007 4:53 pmIt is lovely and sleek and original and perfect.
Whoorl has risen from the ashes!
I have Wordpress envy.
(And D. is a talented artist. No wonder everything you touch ends up gorgeous - it runs in the family!)
metalia
October 23rd, 2007 5:17 pmI am LOVING the new look. When I finally get off my ass and transfer my blog over to my Wordpress site (which I tried, and failed, to set up um…. MONTHS ago), I am going to harass you incessantly with my questions.
(Whatever, it’s your own damn fault for having such a gorgeous site.)
Jennifer
October 23rd, 2007 6:01 pmIt looks wonderful over here. Congratulations! It is hard those control issues. I have them too.
winterwheat
October 24th, 2007 7:35 amLooks great. Hooray for blogger hospitality! And kudos to you for relinquishing control, if only momentarily.
Jennie
October 24th, 2007 9:50 amSeriously, love it.
Nila
October 24th, 2007 8:56 pmIt just keeps getting better and better. I really like this one.
dogslol
October 25th, 2007 12:49 pmcool new look! his style is great, simple n clean lines!
supertiff
October 25th, 2007 6:19 pmit’s totally beautiful.
i’ve been wanting to redesign mine, but i’m such an idiot i can’t even remember how i made it work to begin with.
bah.
holli
October 29th, 2007 9:40 amI just wandered over here, and the first thing I thought was “wow - I LOVE this blog theme.” Honestly.. I did. Now, this is coming from the person who half-ass threw together a theme during a blog/computer crash and ended up with the world’s largest banner - and I’ve just never had the time (or brain cells) to fix it.. my computer blew up again.
Dear Lord, something is blowing up in the other room.