Could really use feedback on redesign

[gwacie]

If you have some time, please look at the site redesign I've been working on currently housed at http://www.gwaciebeads.com/V2/ (http://www.gwaciebeads.com/V2/) until I go live. It's not quite finished but mostly. I want to be sure it works in a variety of browsers and resolution/sizes. I have adjusted my monitor from 800x600 upwards and it seems to be ok. Also just general design/feedback would be very welcome. You can see the current (old) site via my signature link if you want to compare.

I still have lots to do. I need to work on the shopping cart itself and also there are products still to add but I think all the links are live and functional. Anyway, I'd really appreciate your feedback, pros and cons. I'm too close to it to be objective at this point and my eyes are bleary after over a month of work.

Scoop - I changed the entire site from a table driven model to CSS, added a database and PHP programming and I'm changing my cart company as well. Plus I updated the look to a bit more of an adult feel while still trying to keep things playful.

Thanks you guys. This was more work than I thought it would be!

[SheilaM]

Love the colors.
Sheila

[gwacie]

Thanks Sheila :-). I had someone tell me the mushroom background was 'depressing'. I so don't want my site to be depressing!

[rosiescreations]

It is easy for me to read and I can see the names on the category's easily.
Looks great, I hate to say it but I think another color for the back ground could really make your site pop.
Your beads are gorgeous
I think it is really neat that if you put your mouse over a picture it enlarges the photo. Cool

[gwacie]

Thanks Patti. One nice thing with CSS is that I can change colors on the site with just a single stroke. I had the whole site in my traditional purple colors but it was just too candy cute to me (like my current site version, see my sig line for comparision).

What color would you suggest I try out? I'm game to play around!

[rosiescreations]

I'm not sure about the color. I would just go thru a bunch of colors. You may find a color that surprises you.

[gwacie]

Hey Patti, can you take a look again? I changed it to a stripe - still beige though but more visually interesting. What do you think of this? http://www.gwaciebeads.com/V2/

[Lenda]

Hey Bethany! I like the changes, need to learn PHP and CSS myself. Did you do it from a book? lol....that's where I'm headed. I really like the changes, it's easier on the eyes. But I'm not a fan of purple unless it's a deep eggplant. I love the beige stripe theme, maybe use the one stripe color for the tables? Not sure how that'd look, but I do like creme's and taupe's. Maybe larger, fatter stripes instead of lot's of skinny ones? It's so hard to pick a color scheme that shows our work off. I chickened out and went for black like you saw in my thread. Good luck, I know you'll come up with something fabo.

ps...I LOVE your fun facts, even learned something!:)

[gwacie]

Hey thanks Lenda. I'm a purple girl, so the purple has to stay for sure, but I'll mess around with the stripe width. thanks for the feedback.

I taught myself CSS from online tutorials. Start here: http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-css3-roadmap-20010523/

I taught myself PHP as well but I used to be an Oracle SQL programmer so it wasn't a very big step. Try http://www.php.net/ to start with. No point spending money on books when all that you really need is online for free!