Today I wanted to share about some site updates, including a new design, new ads, and my blog name.
A Quick Site Update
New Blog Design
I’m always on the fence about announcing blog design updates, especially because I can be rather fickle when it comes to templates.
For the past year or so, I have been struggling to find a template that strikes a balance between my personal aesthetic and things like site speed and user-friendliness. If you read my blog from a desktop computer, you’ve probably noticed how often I change my template. My apologies if it has felt a little overwhelming!
While I really liked the boldness of the template I had been using for the past several months, load times could be painfully slow. So I’m back to a relatively minimalist template that seems to load much faster than the previous one. Google recently announced that sub-par load times will impact search rankings, so this has become a big priority for me!
Let me know if you notice any glitches or issues with it.
New Ad Service
I was just accepted to an ad publisher I’ve been trying to join for the past 5 years! I’m now a member of Mediavine, which adds both in-post ads and sidebar ads.
I know that it can be a bit annoying to receive in-content ads, but I’m hoping to find a balance between user-friendliness and profitability. This blog is my main source of income while in graduate school, so building passive income has been a big priority over the last couple years. I rely less and less on sponsorships, just because it’s important for me to be super selective with what I share, so ads offer a way to make money without taking on direct partnerships.
Please reach out if you notice that there’s an issue with ad content.
StyleWise Branding
After several months of using LeahWise as my logo and blog name, I decided to switch back to StyleWise. I was trying to find a way to broaden the brand a bit, but because I haven’t changed my url and my content is still mostly fashion and style-focused, StyleWise is just a cleaner choice. I found a cool font that looks a lot like my own handwriting, so my new logo is meant to be both personal and highly adaptable to future redesigns.
Shopping Directory
I announced this several months ago, but just a reminder that I have an updated Shopping Directory. I try to update it when I discover new ethical and sustainable brands. Feel free to suggest some!
Checking In
Anyways, how goes it? My second year of divinity school is officially complete. It’s weird to think I’m 2/3 of the way through. This summer, I’ll be doing an eight-week internship at a rural parish in Virginia. I’m also hoping to get to Florida in time for my new niece’s baptism, and hopefully visit a friend in Maryland at the end of the summer.
Daniel and I got our second dose of the Moderna vaccine on Wednesday. I had a fever for about eight hours along with an excruciating headache behind my eyes. I spent most of Thursday sleeping or catching up on blog posts. Still, being vaccinated is incredibly reassuring. Even the first dose is 80-90% effective after two weeks, so it’s been great to start to ease back into in-person activities. I thought it would be way harder to adjust to socialization than it has been. I mean, my energy levels need to be recalibrated to deal with more social stimuli than I’ve had in the last 14 months, but it’s so lovely to just be with people without fear.
My year-long, local church internship officially ends Sunday, when I give my last sermon of the school year. I will probably continue to serve the parish in some capacity next year, but it’s not set in stone. Things are really moving along with my vocational stuff. It’s amazing to think I have spent the better part of my life considering church ministry and now I’m actually doing it.
When I get stuck in the weeds, it’s good to remember that so many dreams have come true.
Leah Wise
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.