a little sprucing up

You may have noticed over the past week-ish some changes on the blog. After months of not writing, and then deciding that a blog makeover would help me want to write, and then trying to find an affordable, cute and clean option, I did it. And I love it!

 

Here are the changes:

 

First, I decided to change the name of my blog to match my URL address. It drives me a little crazy when blog names don't match the address. And so I don't know why mine didn't match. I remember sitting in a big, comfy chair in Christine's house years ago, with a borrowed laptop, trying to brainstorm a creative blog name. Sometimes, I come up with names without knowing the origin. If somehow I come up with something and like it, it sticks.

 

(This happened with my dog, Crickett. I think I've determined how I came up with that, though.)

 

(And my cat, Persephone. I still have no idea where it came from.)

 

(I also have the name of a business, should I need that at some point.)

 

(Jeremy is able to temper the names for future children, thankfully.)

 

It makes perfect sense that my blog name originated this way. Although I did live in a green house when I started my blog, I think it was based more on my initials. Before marriage, my initials were KI. That's how I signed cards and emails. I love my initials. And then I married, and my initials became KIW. Jeremy thought a cute nickname would be "Kiwi." Umm...perfect! Especially since it matched my blog! 

 

So that's how Kiwi Cottage became the official name of my blog about 10 days ago. And I've had more people call it by name in the last week than ever before. I guess it was a good change!

 

 

 

There are some new items in the navigation bar. I've had a few things listed over the last year, but I added my Book List and Favorites.

 

After reading a book, I'll list the title and a quick bit about the book in my Book List. You'll notice I've been on a memoir and food writing kick.

 

Under Favorites is a list of blogs that inspire me. This is in addition to the Blogs I Like on the right side of my home page. It helps reduce the clutter. There's some good writing in there, y'all. Take a look!

 

 

If you'd like to find me on an social media sites, I've listed quick links to each site. There's a pretty decent ebb and flow with my social media. Currently, I'm on a Facebook and Instagram kick. Which, no doubt, will be replaced by Pinterest and Twitter at some point.

 

(And when I get on a Pinterest kick, watch out!)

 

(Just so you know, my Facebook and Instagram are private, but I'm happy to have new friends and followers that aren't my students at school!)

 

So, I'm super excited about these changes. I love the colors and layout and fonts. I do hope that it makes me more inclined to write!