Welcome to the New Bubby and Bean!

I am absolutely thrilled to welcome you guys to the new Bubby and Bean! This major overhaul of the blog design, features, and brand itself has been a long time coming, and has been quite the labor of love for me over the past couple of months. You may have noticed some of the changes already happening (like post contributions from new Bubby and Bean team members, who I'll introduce in a minute), but the vast majority of the work has been done behind the scenes and is just going live today. This project has been an interesting process - and a learning experience. I designed all of the graphics and did the majority of the coding myself, but recruited a little help from a web coding expert friend during a minor meltdown over things not lining up (there were no tears, but it was close - thank you Brent!). I was also only able to really focus on it during periods when Robbie was off the road to help with Essley, since I don't have a whole lot of extra time on top of daily work and being a mama when he's away. So it ultimately took quite a while to complete. But it's finally done, plus or minus a few tweaks, and I'm very excited about the end result. I hope that you like it as well! (Please contact us if anything looks strange to you or doesn't seem to be working properly. If you're seeing the old blog right now, try refreshing your page or clearing your history.)

Some of the changes you'll notice include:

A NEW LOOK
We've completely updated all of the graphics, buttons, logo, and the overall look of the blog. The design is much cleaner and less cluttered, more cohesive, and more neutral to allow for the content itself to really pop. Post photos are now larger, as is the width of the blog itself.

NEW NAVIGATION
Topics have moved from the sidebar to right below the header, and there is now a drop-down menu with subcategories for each topic. For example, when you hover over "STYLE," a drop-down menu will appear with "Fashion," "Beauty," and "Outfits." This is a huge improvement over our old categories, which were all lumped together. Above the header you'll find another navigation menu that features the main pages of the blog.

UPDATED SECTIONS
Each of the following main pages/sections has been completely redone, with new information and a new look: Our Story, Shop, Subscribe, Advertising Info, and Contact Info.

MAILING LIST
In the right sidebar, underneath our partners and our gray social media banners, you'll see the option to join our new mailing list. We'll send out occasional emails (monthly or every other month) with exclusive extras, special coupon codes to use in the Bubby and Bean Art shop, events we'll be attending, etc. I'd love for you to sign up! Just enter your email address and click "join."

MISC. CHANGES
You'll also notice other small changes and additions, like a "Pin It" button when you hover over photos that will allow you to pin them directly to Pinterest, a new search bar, an updated "Popular Posts" section in the right sidebar, and dozen of other tiny updates.

NEW TEAM MEMBERS
One of the biggest (and best!) changes here at Bubby and Bean is the addition of a small staff featuring some absolutely wonderful contributors and an equally wonderful assistant. Those of you who are regular readers know that I recently made the decision to close down my eco-fashion company after 15 years, so that I would be able to focus more on both my daughter and Bubby and Bean. This blog has grown immensely in 2014 (thanks to you!), and it was time to expand and bring in some really great folks who have already made this space better in countless ways. Please join me in welcoming Home Contributor Paige Ronchetti, Food/Drink Contributor Sara Little, Beauty Contributor Morgan Rainwater, and Blog Assistant Kari Saul! Each of the new contributors is incredibly knowledgeable in her topic and is bringing so much more to the blog than I was ever able to do alone. And having my assistant Kari (who was the long-time customer service/fulfillment manager at my clothing company) to help out will allow for growth and constant improvements for our readers. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we all make happen together as a team! You can read more about each team member, their roles, and their favorite things (and see their gorgeous faces) on our new About Page.


I know that I gush on a regular basis about how grateful I am for all of you, but I genuinely mean it you guys. This little blog that started out as a part time project has grown into one of my favorite ventures of all time, a business of its own that helps support my family, and a community of truly wonderful people all over the world who stop by here to read, comment, and share. I hope that you'll take some time to explore the new Bubby and Bean and let us know what you think.

P.S. Although completely off topic, I have to wish my bad ass of a husband a very happy third wedding anniversary today. You are the coolest dude I've ever known, and an absolutely incredible father to Essley. I love you Robbie - more than words can say, man.

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