I really like the suggestions, especially reworking the sidebar and the blue header background. I will definitely give the sidebar a chance to be a full column, rather than stopping when the content does.

The main colors I have chosen are, in fact, my favorite colors. It just so happens that they work together quite nicely.

I quite like the design you have — it’s very good for a blog: nice and clean, clear and readable. The red titles work particularly well with the blue body text.

Couple of suggestions: the beige sidebar isn’t as dynamic as the rest of the site, which has a vibrant contrast, so it’d help to “excite” it a bit. (Also I’m not keen on sidebars that don’t continue all the way down the page, but that’s more a personal thing).

At the top of the page, I’m not sure what the blue bar is trying to do, it overlaps with the “Weekend Wares” title, but just falls into the backgorund; doesn’t seem all that integrated with the site is what I mean.

Other than that, all good! (Don’t need a Gmail account, btw)