I knew that if i was going to start blogging again that i'd have to do it right, and an aesthetically pleasing layout is tip top priority for me. I don't know about you, but if a blog ain't pretty, there's a very slim chance of me reading it.
I wanted my blog to look like a blog that i would want to read. Simple, white, clean layout. No fuss, no muss. Easy to design? Not so much. But I'm not one to back away from a challenge.
Collecting inspiration from my favourite blogs and some etsy blog templates, I came up with a design I was aiming for and a to-do list as long as my arm. Lemme tell you, this was no easy feat. I am no web designer, graphic designer or tech whizz. Fun fact: technology and me don't get along. Hell, i still don't know how to work Google+. But a bit of determination and figurative elbow grease goes a long away.
I started off with the most basic template on blogger and went from there. List by my side of aspects i wanted to get rid of, features i wanted to include that weren't provided by blogger and design bits and bobs that needed tweaking, i set to. Enter Google, my new bestie.
With a quick Google search of free photoshop alternatives i decided to download Gimp. This baby is amazing, but definitely needs to come with a 'for dummies' guidebook. Not the most simple to navigate, but a quick youtube video sorted that out. I used Gimp to design my blog header, widget titles in the sidebar and the next/previous buttons in the blog footer.
Next up, a basic understanding of HTML can be pretty helpful. My understanding? Nil, nada. I just followed instructions for everything i changed, but if you want to actually understand it this post might help. Almost everything i changed was done by editing the HTML coding, so thank gaawwwwd for tutorials.
I used all of these tutorials for one thing or another and are all so easy to follow. If i can...
1. how to add separator lines between posts
2. rearrange order of links in post footer
3. how to remove 'showing posts with label' link
4. how to customise 'newer' and 'older' buttons in page footer
5. how to remove that awwwful dotted line from page footer
6. how to remove 'subscribe to posts atom' link at footer
7. how to move navigation bar above header
8. the wreaths that I used in my header
9. how to insert pinterest hover button over photos
10. how to install social media buttons (tip: search pinterest for free downloadables)
11. how to change blogger's share buttons to custom images
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