The Messy Baker Inaugural Post and a Giveaway

Cat and fresh eggs - The Messy Baker

The Messy Baker Inaugural Post and a Giveaway

Cat and fresh eggs - The Messy Baker

Well, I did it. The Messy Baker is officially out of the box and sitting on the living room table for everyone to see. Christie’s Corner is neatly packed up and on a shelf in the scary basement. I still have some silver polishing to do, and boy, are my fingers sore. I see why people have hired help for that sort of thing. Anyway, new digs, same author and lots of questions.

Below are answers to the questions I’ve fielded so far. I’ve reworded some to keep my blog G-rated. If you have additional questions or comments, just use the comments section or email me.

Questions about The Messy Baker

Where’s the cat?
The cat is fine. He spends most of his time sleeping on top of the armoire or shedding on my pillow. Cat lovers rejoice. He keeps sneaking into the home page. Quick, go check it out before he wanders off.

Why is the header so plain?
When I selected the previous cat-versus-toast header, almost everyone read blogs on their computer. Today, mobile phones, tablets and now mini-tablets are the norm. It’s a bit like moving from a sprawling country ranch house to a cramped Manhattan apartment. I didn’t want to do it, but having viewed many designs on my iPad and iPhone, I realized there wasn’t room for an elaborate graphic header. Something had to go. I opted to shoo the cat away rather than my readers.

It’s blue now, not green. I thought green was your favourite colour!
Green was, is, and always will be my favourite colour. But it doesn’t show well as text. Blue is easier to read, especially on a small screen, so I compromised and chose teal. Plus, I look good in teal. Not as good as green, but it seemed a far better choice than girly Baker’s Pink.

Everything’s changed. I don’t like change.
Trust me. Neither do I. It would have been a lot easier to keep things as they were. In fact, I spent a week redesigning the site only to end up tossing the work into the trash. Don’t fret. A nice empty bottle of Malbec kept it company. If it’s any consolation, I won’t be making big changes again anytime soon. At least not willingly.

You ditched the design. Did you keep the content?
It’s still there. We’ll, most of it. I did get rid of a few old posts that were no longer relevant. I also culled the categories for easier navigation. As I mentioned in my farewell Christie’s Corner post, the site was getting very cluttered. (For those of you with a smartphone, this site is now available in a mobile version. You’ll be glad I pared down the categories and site structure if you read from a phone.)

Any other bombs you care to drop while you’re at it?
I hope not. This just about did me in.

To celebrate, I’m giving away copies of my Kitchen Disasters & Fixes app. If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with an iOS of 4.3 or later, leave me a comment for a chance to win. I’ll pick winners at random tomorrow.

 

29 Comments
  • Janine Morin
    Posted at 16:00h, 28 February

    Hi Charmian,
    My oven actually caught fire the other night while baking cookies (it’s that dirty, for shame!). Big time disaster! Love your site,
    Janine

  • Betty Sievert
    Posted at 16:01h, 28 February

    If you look in the dictonary under “kitchen disasters” my photo will be there. I also can’t spell.

  • admin
    Posted at 16:05h, 28 February

    Oh, our kitchen fires are usually from a certain unnamed someone who leaves butcher paper too close to the pan while cooking steak. I’ll give you a hint. It’s not me.

    I’ll contact you about how to download the app. There is an entry on how to deal with fires.

  • admin
    Posted at 16:07h, 28 February

    Bonus points for struggling with spelling. I’m not a bad speller but have been known to make spectacular typos. Some of them have been inadvertently risqué!

    You win a copy of the app. I’ll contact you soon.

  • Kira Vermond
    Posted at 16:13h, 28 February

    Hey Charmian,

    My own kitchen disaster? So last night I cooked a mouse. Not on purpose. The little critter(s) got into my oven in that scary space around the oven’s gas burners. Within a few minutes smoke was pouring out, setting the fire alarm off and making the whole house smell charred, including me, the kids, the hubby and the dog. Only one thing left to do: open the windows, pull the 8.8 pound chicken out of the oven, crank it up to 500… and order a pizza. And there was wine.

    Fun site!

    Kira

  • joan
    Posted at 16:29h, 28 February

    I’m excited and willing to win the app!! way to go with the new site!

  • Joan Levack
    Posted at 16:34h, 28 February

    Can’t wait to see more. Love this streamlined design.

  • admin
    Posted at 16:44h, 28 February

    I think you win the prize for most horrific kitchen disaster. Part of me feels for the mouse, but I can imagine the chaos. Kids, dog, smoke alarm? Wine would have been my first thought.

    My app does cover kitchen fires, but not specifically cooked mice. I’ll send you a copy anyway.

  • admin
    Posted at 16:45h, 28 February

    Thanks for being willing to throw yourself on that sword. I’ll be in touch soon with how to claim your app.

    For those reading along, I have a few to share, so keep those comments coming.

  • admin
    Posted at 16:48h, 28 February

    Thanks, Joan. I was really worried the steamlined layout would put people off. Change is hard but maybe it was harder on me than my readers?

    Do you have an iOS device? If so, I’ll send you a copy of my app just for being so darned flattering!

  • Anna
    Posted at 16:51h, 28 February

    I like the clean look, you did a lovely job. And actually even if I don’t win, I kind of want to get this app for my sister. You have no idea how many calls I get every week to resolve her latest kitchen disaster. (P.S. I’m not sure if it’s just on my monitor, but the Reply and Submit Comment buttons are barely visible, it looks like white text on a white button with a bit of shading).

  • admin
    Posted at 16:59h, 28 February

    Thanks for the note on the reply button. I tend to reply from within WordPress, so didn’t notice. I’ll see what I can do about that. It is hard to read. Glad you like the site otherwise.

    I’ll send you an app. Does your sister have an iDevice? I can send you one for her too.

    Let me know!

    And thanks again for the heads up on the reply button.

  • Anna
    Posted at 17:03h, 28 February

    She has so many iThings, I’ve started calling her iRina in emails 😀 Thank you!!!

  • Kira Vermond
    Posted at 17:05h, 28 February

    We felt bad for the mouse too. Especially after we found its (understandably) traumatized sibling hiding under our bookcase. Honestly, the more I think about it, the worse this story gets….

  • admin
    Posted at 17:08h, 28 February

    Assuming her name is Irena, that’s hilarious!

    I’ll send you two codes. One for you. One for her. I hope she takes this in the spirit in which it’s given. 🙂

  • admin
    Posted at 17:09h, 28 February

    Want to borrow a cat?

  • Joy
    Posted at 17:37h, 28 February

    I do so many things that just go wrong in the kitchen. 😀

  • Amy Proulx
    Posted at 17:56h, 28 February

    Congratulations on the migration! I like the site, and agree with the tiny screen arguments that you have made. My question – when will you have Kitchen Disasters available for Android? Yeah, yeah, I’m finally a convert to the modern telecommunications age, but got hooked on Android.

  • admin
    Posted at 18:01h, 28 February

    We all do. Some are just more honest about it that others. I’ll send you a copy of the app. It has Avoidance Tactics so you need never make the same mistake twice.

  • admin
    Posted at 18:15h, 28 February

    Kitchen Disasters and Fixes is available on Android. I just can’t give copies away. Their platform doesn’t allow it. Here’s a link to the app on Google Play.

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sutromedia.android.guide.kitchen.oops.guide544&hl=en

    I’ve used a Mac for 12+ years so the iDevices are natural for me. I hear great things about Android. And even Blackberry’s new Z10. Alas, there is no Blackberry version of my app.

  • admin
    Posted at 18:27h, 28 February

    I fixed the button reply/submit button issue. Phew! Took me a while, but it should be easier to read.

  • Heather
    Posted at 20:35h, 28 February

    WE are all getting older so I LOVE when some is NEW and YOUNG. Changes are good for us all.

  • Joan
    Posted at 21:11h, 28 February

    Yay! Yes I do. I have both an iPad and and iPhone 4s.
    Whee!

  • admin
    Posted at 21:18h, 28 February

    The app works on both devices — load it once, use it twice. I’ll send you info in a few minutes. Thanks again for your feedback.

  • admin
    Posted at 21:31h, 28 February

    I like your attitude. The site is new. Me? Not so young, but age is just a number.

    Do you have an iDevice? I’ll send you an app, too.

  • Kelly G
    Posted at 15:21h, 01 March

    The new page looks great. Congrats on the move!

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 18:57h, 01 March

    Thanks, Kelly. It was a lot of work and when all was said and done, no one showed up with pizza and beer! What gives with that? Guess I need a better class of friends.

  • Leslie
    Posted at 21:27h, 01 March

    Wow ….. That’s a lot of work ….. Thanks for spending the time to make it easy for us to enjoy!

  • Charmian Christie
    Posted at 21:59h, 01 March

    You’re most welcome, Leslie. It was a lot of work, but much needed. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

    If you have an iDevice, an app is on its way!