Greetings from . . .

Yes, NTB does have a new look! Thanks for noticing! I have been wanting a new look pretty much since I started my blog, but I've never been able to pull it off on my own. I met Nap Warden, an awesome blogger and blog designer/illustrator, this past summer at the BlogHer Conference and knew that when I was ready to get some professional help, she would be the one who could help me.

A few months ago, I decided that I wanted NTB's new look to be like that of a vintage postcard.

I thought the postcard would help welcome readers into MEP's little corner of the world. The images inside of the letters of NOT TO BRAG represent different aspects of my life and my blog: books/reading, parenting young children, watching television, Ohio (I heart you), city-living in Chicago, ND and the Irish, Diet Coke and snacks (to represent passion for food and eating), teaching/academia, and my ongoing attempt to use this blog to help me figure things out (thus, the question marks). I can't claim a visit to Not to brag. . . will be the best trip you ever take, but I can think of worse places to spend two minutes of your day!

I still have some work to do on my end to put the icing on the cake of this makeover--first and foremost providing content for the links up top under the header. Stay tuned for those changes. Once I consider it all "done," I'm going to be writing a post encouraging you to spread the word about NTB.

Now I'm thinking about cake and icing.

Also, as a public service, I want to let you know that art.com has a wide selection of vintage prints like the postcard seen above. I have ordered several vintage prints and had them framed and matted. On a wall in our living room, we have "Greetings from" prints from Cincinnati,* Decatur (hubby's hometown), Chicago, and Notre Dame. These prints are a fun way to personalize your home decor. This past spring, I bought some of these historic reading prints with my parents' graduation gift to me. If you're looking for reasonably priced artwork, totally check out the vintage stuff at art.com (and no, I'm not being paid to pimp that site. No one pays me to pimp anything).

And, of course, if you know or are a blogger, consider a blog redesign as a gift. You can check out all the cool stuff Nap Warden has done right here and also here on my friend E. . .'s blog with its brand new header.

After a brag-worthy November of posts, I realize I've dropped off a bit lately. Now that my students' grades are finally turned in and my Christmas preparations are mostly in check, I will be making more time for blogging in the coming weeks. So again, please stay tuned.



*I want to clarify that I am not technically from Cincinnati but from Fairfield, OH (City of Opportunity). I would be mighty proud to represent Fairfield on my walls, but the city is too young to have its own vintage postcard from back in the day. There is a vintage print of "Greetings from Hamilton, OH" but that one is not available on art.com. If you want a Hamilton print, you can check here.