I launched this beautiful new site yesterday, and immediately afterwards, heard….crickets. I was freaking out! Making the decision to replace the header of Alina and I embracing on the beach was momentous enough, so I wasn’t sure how readers would take a complete overhaul of De Su Mama.  As the morning calmed down, the comments and emails and even texts started to pour in. Every feature of DSM now is apart of a symbolic design packed with emotion and purpose.

Symbolic Photography

Pictures are a big deal here at De Su Mama. I believe strongly in their symbolic power to convey a message, translating emotions that words sometimes cannot do in a design. DSM’s original header portrayed the type of mother I was back then- quiet, deliberate, protective. But woo! Life moves fast, and you better keep up!

The header and branded photography on the new DSM translates our growth and maturity as a family so beautifully. Erica Adams, the Southern California photographer that has shoot all of our family portraits since my first maternity photo shoot, did a great job at portraying that evolution. The colors are warm, and hopefully inviting. In including my husband, new readers also learn immediately that we are an interracial family. And that was important to me, too. But I also wanted to include Daddy D because I just couldn’t do all this without him. He is every bit part of the legacy I build for my kids. And while although these words are not his, his voice resonates in everything I write. The symbolism behind the choice of header image was the launching point of this entire design process.

Symbolic Design

My primary goal with this redesign was simple. Over almost two years, I have written pieces I am really proud of. But no one was reading them because those posts were buried with new stuff! This new site gives readers lots of different access points to my content. You can click on the navigation bar highlighting specific content. A few of those topics are further highlighted with clickable picture boxes. Three banners on the sidebar give readers an even greater variety of content (click on them and see!). You can see my most recent posts at the footer of the site. You can see random selections of related content at the end of every post. Another goal was to create a more branded look for DSM, including a watermark that would protect my images while looking pretty.

I love my readers, and want them to stick around once they visit the site. In order to accomplish the delicate balance of a having a clean, non-obtrusive site (like the original DSM was) and giving readers a better variety at which to access my content, I would have to hire a professional. Chantilly of Chantilly Patiño Media & Design did an amazing job at giving my voice a beautiful space in which to flourish. It was at least two months of back and forth on concepts and ideas. As you can imagine, I was not an easy client – I had my hands on every aspect of this redesign. But she was patient, allowing me to learn in the process, but also making sure the design was never compromised (by me!). She is as proud of this new space as I am.

#BuildYourLegacy

I’ve been so excited to include my readers into this new aspect of my mission. Getting emails and comments from readers, especially those sharing their own efforts in legacy building, is SOOO rewarding! That emotion was what helped me decide on the ultimate mission of De Su Mama, and I want to begin that growth with a new project.

I invite you to have your legacy documented right here on De Su Mama, alongside mine, by using the hashtag #BuildYourLegacy on your Instagram pictures. As long as your profile is set to public, those specific images will be streamed on the sidebar for our community of legacy builders to enjoy and connect with you.

I look forward to following and engaging with those of you who tag pictures in the #BuildYourLegacy Instagram stream. Legacy is invaluable, and building one intentionally is a means to making sure this world is better for those of us who come after. I hope you join me in this new journey of self awareness and purposed living!