Back in August this blog passed its one year anniversary. Just a couple of weeks ago I uploaded my 500th post. It suddenly dawned on me that I'm not just dipping my toe into the waters of the web at this point. It was clear that it was time to take things up a notch and give my corner of the internet a fresh coat of paint. And to do that I realized I needed to turn to the wisdom of others.
Old and busted
First, I enlisted my art school daughter to help with some design ideas. I remembered a font she'd found online and asked her to build a new clog blog logo for me. (Would that be a "clogo"?) What she came up with in only a few swishes of a mouse was grand, but by itself it looked naked. Or perhaps the term would be "unshod." Clearly there needed to be an image or two of our favorite footwear to go with it. What to do? A photo of clogs didn't seem appropriate. And besides photography is not my strong suit (one of the major reasons I don't post many photos of my own). It was clear that a tasty artistic rendering would be just the thing.
My next step was to nose around online to see if there were any images of wooden shoes available. There were tons of ideas to be found. But nothing that could actually be pressed into service. So near and yet so far. Time for some additional input. I put out the word to a number of creatively inclined people I've met through this blog, and reader Stella Mayfair came back to me with a brilliant suggestion: why not search Etsy for an illustrator to take on the task.
Back to the internet for a little more investigating, and in just a short round of research, I made contact with Tisha Lea, the artist behind the delightful assortment of items available through her Etsy login TheTwitterpatedToad. I gave her a rough idea of what I wanted and ample artistic freedom, and she came back to me in nearly no time at all with the wonderful results you see.
New hotness
Oh, and a quick word about the font. The one that my daughter found that originally inspired this whole redesign process? It didn't survive. It just looked lost among all the bold graphics. So one last trip to cyberspace landed me on the e-doorstep of Font Diner where I picked out one of their "Premium Quality Retro Fonts": Fontdinerdotcom.
Which brings me with a huge sigh of relief to the present. I'm now off and running with a new look to Every Clog Has Its Day, and I have to say that it feels like another milestone has been passed. Or maybe it's just another satisfying creative project put to bed. I've got a blog that has its own identity...in more ways than one. And it seems like the appropriate time to thank all of you who've stopped by to read and enjoy what I've had the pleasure of posting here. And an especially big thank you to everyone who helped improve it along the way. I'm looking forward to many more clogs (and clog blog posts) to come.
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Meet the artist
Never content with a single sentence when an entire paragraph can be composed on any subject, I wanted to tell you a little more about the artist responsible for the new clog illustrations. Or rather, let her tell you a little more about herself.
Tisha Lea is a veteran graphic designer with over 14 years experience (and over a dozen International Design Awards to her credit). You can see some of her lovely, lighthearted illustrations through the Etsy link above to TheTwitterpatedToad...or you can visit her online collection of the work of vintage illustrators, IsabellablueStudio.
Girl - Be a Legend in Your Own Mind
Currently she says she is grateful for the opportunity to "work from home and do the illustration and writing that I love, while being able to be there for my children." And in addition to those pleasures, she also writes...
I love (in no particular order): Bookstores, thunderstorms, auctions, smiling children, Jane Austen, warm donuts, dark chocolate, sushi with wasabi, Sir Lancelot, any great love story, Newfoundlands, my family, dabbling in writing, horses, Jesus, my Mother's advice, watching the sunrise on a perfectly calm lake, Robin Hood, memories of rocking my children to sleep, how the snow looks before anyone walks on it, corn dogs at the fair, mochas, sleeping in, avocados, creating art, Shakespeare, frogs, poetry, giant trees, fishing, fresh iced tea on a summer day, going barefoot, getting paint all over my hands, salt water cucumbers, and of course - old things (pre-1960) that make me wish I could have been there- oh, the stories some of the pieces could tell!
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[On my feet today: Oh, dear. I'm still sitting here in my robe and warm socks. I have no idea what footwear adventure awaits me today.]
[Update: It turns out I'm heading out to a Festivus party with a pair of Michael Kors wood soled knee boots from a couple seasons back on my feet.]
Delightful! I always look forward to my daily clog treat here, but now, with the new rockin' look, I feel all fresh and minty. Congratulations on a wonderful new "face" and thank you for sharing the story—and especially the artist!—with us!
Posted by: Melissa Krebs | 11/21/2010 at 08:35 AM
Love the new look. Great work! The page really looks brighter and I love the new logo. It's almost like having a new pair of clogs to look forward to everyday. Thanks for all of the work you do to keep us entertained and informed.
Posted by: Natealine | 11/21/2010 at 10:04 AM
iam flexible toe box looking for cowhide clogs with
Posted by: Hans Beiser | 08/30/2011 at 04:22 AM