BrocanteHome - Latest Comments in Ask the Audience...

Re: Ask the Audience...

June — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:34:22 -0000

I mean no offense, but I have to be honest, once you switched over to the new format I lost interest in Broncante Home. I found it extremely confusing and too busy. It no longer contained that homey feeling I looked forward to whenever I visited. I, too, miss the bright beautiful colors. As for the banners, I favor numbers 1 and 3.

Re: Ask the Audience...

Mrs. Cozy Home — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:18:59 -0000

Love the polka dots with the floral background -- and love the mom and the son with cakes!

Re: Ask the Audience...

deborah — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:10:33 -0000

I love the polka dots with the floral background. I also enjoyed how you use to change the banner image to correspond with the season.

Re: Ask the Audience...

Tracelaine — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:06:33 -0000

The first time I checked you out on typepad I was hooked. The lovely flowery backgrounds with your big polka dots and illustrations of vintage ladies made me lay in bed thinking about coming back for more. I really liked the older banner versions before you hired out the typead banner, although it was very beautiful, too, but that was the end of the old big polka dots, and the newer small dots came. When you made the move to blogspot I wasn't too hot on the tapestry pattern banner, and I continued to jump back to typepad for a comfortable hug even though you weren't there anymore. Eventually, I was especially sad to see the two sites mirror each other and typepad lost that old charm. Your typepad seemed like an enchanted world to explore all pumped up with puttery treats and just FULL OF YOU, and blogspot seems more basic. This stuff all takes time to create, and I understand your reasons for wanting it less complicated, but I am not turned off by busy-ness. I will be happy with whatever you lay out because it reflects your heart's desires and it's all a product of your inspired mind at the moment... Anyway, as you elude to, it will all likely change again in the future. I like Polka dots, the cursive fonts in 1,3&4, the lovely brunette lady in the vintage kitchen in 1, the gorgeous girl under the tree in 3, the flowered background of 2&3, "The Brocante Home Chronicles", "Life, Love & Vinatge Housekeeping"

Re: Ask the Audience...

Bramblepatchwork — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:09:52 -0000

I like the first banner best,never was so keen on the present one.What a shame that there are not more UK subscribers,cannot understand why !!!!

Re: Ask the Audience...

Gena — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:47:58 -0000

I like the polka dots and the banner with the woman,boy and cakes,I too like the bright colours,if the sun is shining I sometimes struggle to see some of the more subtle colours on the site,like the fields at the top of the page,I know shouldnt sit in the sun!lol! xx

Re: Ask the Audience...

mamazee — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:41:31 -0000

i vote for the polka dots with the pretty lady - i like the font you used, too.. love your blog!

Re: Ask the Audience...

Wendy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:44:41 -0000

I like 2 and 3...I just miss,miss,miss those polka dots!!! I thought I was the only one(: I also preferred the other layout...But either way,you're just wonderful,Allison.

BTW, I miss the polka dots on my toolbar,too(hint,hint)

Re: Ask the Audience...

Patsy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:05:36 -0000

I miss the bright colors.I think they suited you better

Re: Ask the Audience...

simone — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:25:05 -0000

Alison, I have followed you since you were with typepad and through all the various banners. I think I like the current banner the best but liked all the banners at their given time. Don't go back but keep moving forward! You are a progressive girl Alison and I am sure your fans will approve of whatever you do. I keep coming back no matter what the banner or format. x

Re: Ask the Audience...

Miriam — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:21:05 -0000

I have to say I love the first banner- it's a bit more general and could encompass vintage housekeeping as a whole, not just baking or being glamorous!! I like what you have now - it's very tasteful and pretty - but maybe a bit restrained!!

Re: Ask the Audience...

marina — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:26:27 -0000

I like the first banner best too. I find the red content on the others a touch garish and cheap (sorry), it also represents (for me) the essence of what I find best about your blog: honesty, nostalgia, comfort - a safe haven in a crazy world where I can pop in any time and escape! I also happen to love the present heading and find the newer website offers more impact for less clicks.
Best wishes

Re: Ask the Audience...

Kim — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:37:24 -0000

I liked the lay-out and design of the old site on Type-Pad much better, yet I do understand that Blogger has easier to use content lay-out. I don't see why you couldn't use some of your older banners if you created them or paid someone to create them for you. It's really up to you-everyone will still love you no matter what you do-dearie.

Re: Ask the Audience...

Kate — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:48:53 -0000

Much as I do like the Ikea rug, the girl under the tree is pretty groovy.

Re: Ask the Audience...

Kate — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:48:16 -0000

Much as I do like the Ikea rug concept, girl under the tree is pretty groovy.

Re: Ask the Audience...

Sasha — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:37:17 -0000

Oh, far from it Alison - your 'general bonkersness' as you put it is most endearing, and what assures me I am not alone in the world!

Crikey, I feel awful now, but do appreciate the fullness of your reply - I really, really was getting to thinking I must be pressing something wrong, or not logging in somewhere properly! Please don't give any of it a moments more thought, so long as I know now....

And congratulations on the huge USA readership too! I had no idea, so of course dollars make sense.

I shall patiently await the first of my Christmas Countdown - I simply can't wait, such is my excitement about anything remotely Christmassy. My daughter and I are listening to vaguely Christmassy music (Ella Fitzgerald sings Xmas - fab - if you'd like to know....) and compiling our Christmas 'Wish Lists' as I type!!! Now, THAT"S general bonkersness!

Love you too!!! xxx

Re: Ask the Audience...

Katherine — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:39:14 -0000

I like the first banner the best! :)

Re: Ask the Audience...

sherih — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:18:05 -0000

I, too , love the polka dots!!! Number three is my favorite, and number 1 comes in second....just wanted to say I love love love your blog and miss it when you don't have time! Totally understand the busy mom thing!!! Thanks for all you do....

Sheri

Re: Ask the Audience...

Lorraine — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:01:27 -0000

Hmm, I like polka dots and the saying 'life, love and vintage housekeeping".

Re: Ask the Audience...

Shelley — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:37:05 -0000

I love banners 1 and 2.

They tugged at my heart with nostalgia. I love #1 especially because it reminds me of finding Brocante Home for the first time.

Re: Ask the Audience...

sbgirl — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:23:16 -0000

I loved the polka dots!! But put me down for 1 or 3 for the above banners if you are going to change them.

I love reading the archives and find myself having to go through a series of steps to get to the original postings, so this new format is a bit "busy" for me. I don't like to spend hours on the computer, but if I want to read your site, I have to settle in for awhile because there is just so much to look at! Honestly, I could spend an entire afternoon or evening just perusing things! And I do find it difficult to find a particular post I'm looking for that I'd read months back, and don't know how to find it short of re-reading everything!

That said, be of good cheer, because I love it here and will continue to check in. But I always feel that I'm missing something because there are so many links!

Re: Ask the Audience...

Persephone — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:20:30 -0000

I love the third banner. Truthfully, though, it seems so many people read blogs through a feed reader that the design hardly matters sometimes, but I do like to go to your blog and peruse the archives and I miss the polka-dots.

Re: Ask the Audience...

Samantha — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:35:23 -0000

Hi,
I'm new to your blog...just a few weeks. I like it just as it is, but if you feel that it should be changed to more accurately reflect you, you should do it. Personally I like banners #3 and #1. I really love what #3 says, but I like the vintage kitcheny picture in #1. Either with or without the man...looks like he's having fun cooking, cleaning or whatever he's doing, so it's hard to find too much fault with him. :) Since you said image #2 is more reflective of your life is there any way to use that one and add the saying from #3?
I'm sure that whatever you choose will be lovely.
Thanks for giving us all a say!

Re: Ask the Audience...

Deanna — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:34:03 -0000

Polka dots! :)

Re: Ask the Audience...

BrocanteHome — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:58:53 -0000

Hello Sasha, thank you for your comments: you know how much I appreciate them.

Ok point by point...

I initially put everything seperate here so that the circle and the salon were distinguashable from everything else hanging around the sidebars but even I admit to forgetting that they are there occasionally! That said I'm not sure what to do about it because they are seperate sites and I worry if things look a bit mental in the sidebars. (It's just about the only thing I get bit anal about and definitely need treatment for!). I think there is definitely a case for concentrating on what I'm good at and stopping trying to be all things to all people which is both confusing and exhausting for me and alienating to my readers, so I'm on it and will look to simplify soon...

As for the dollar thing this is simply about reducing my own workload! With a 96% American audience it is just easier to have the price in dollars so that I am not (as I was when it was in pounds) inundated with conversion questions. As far as Ebay and Amazon goes, this was a business decision based on the success of the US programs over the Uk ones and though I would really like to feature the UK equivalents I just don't have the time. I do hope that makes sense?

As for contacting me... oooh hell's I'm so utterly rubbish with email! I forget to look at it and things linger and I'm a simply rubbish correspondant and I can't even begin to apologise enough! I get sillly amounts of email these days because there is so much content on here and the former site and I'm doing my best to keep up! So no, it's not you, it's me: I hear ya, and occasionally kind of answer in my head and consider the matter done with and I am soooooo sorry if I have missed something important....

As far as the christmas Countdown goes, I have you on the list (I've just checked!) and the next email is automatically scheduled for Wednesday.

And finally, yep I'm with you about the man thing! And I don't know why either.

Love you Sasha and really hope my general bonkersness isn't too off-putting!x