HOW DID YOU TWEAK THE SITE?
I’ve done a LOT of HTML’ing before, but it’s been about 4 years since I’ve played with an actual website (not including Blogger), so it’s always a learning curve when I want to update the site (that would be once a year, when I get the urge).
Blogger has a bit of a quirk with their HTML, it’s not like normal HTML sites because it uses widgets, and sometimes it can get confusing with all the codes, colours and the complex flexibility it offers.
I basically tweaked a simple Blogger template, added a Fixed Footer Disclaimer (scroll to the bottom of the page to see), Fixed Image/HTML to my sidebar, and Navigation bars.
WHERE DID YOU FIND THOSE BLOGGER TEMPLATES?
Here are some great resources I scoured before settling on the design that I have now.
Some of these sites have broken template links, so don’t get too attached to one.
Mashable and Blogger Buster have the best templates, but I thought I’d link to all.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR GRAPHICS?
As for the images and other graphics, I do them all by my lone self on Photoshop CS4, so I can’t help you in that respect, unless you want to commission me for a piece?
Email me at brokeinthecity at gmail dot com to discuss prices/what you want.
If you don’t want to pay anyone to do graphics for you, your best bet is to just search for graphics, and download Paint.net (the free, simpler version of Photoshop) and edit them yourself.
ERR..THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF WORK!
Kind of.
Took me a good 10-15 hours, I’d say from starting to look for a template, to finish.
But I’m picky so I kept changing my mind, adjusting here and there…
So if you want a quick update, I’d suggest you just change the background on your Blogger Template, and the text/link colours for your site.
It’s a cheap and easy facelift.
HOW ABOUT ON THE CHEAP (READ: FREE) ?
Backgrounds that come sexy and most importantly, free, in order of coolness:
- Citrus Moon (The Patterns are sorted by category here)
- Textura (If you’re into textured, tissue paper-like backgrounds)
- JannyPie
- SquidFingers Patterns (Very geometric)
- The Texture Warehouse (Kind of woodsy prints)
- Background Fairy
- Shelsscraps
- Blogaroozer
Can’t figure out colour schemes on the fly?
Well Styled has a Colour Scheme Generator ready for you.
BUT HOW DO I CHANGE MY BACKGROUND?
You’re going to have to learn a bit of HTML to do that, and a place like Picasa, Photobucket, own hosting site to store the image you’ve saved as your background.
Here’s the tutorial from Blogger Buster on how to do that.
If you want a tutorial from me, let me know by leaving a comment.
That’s about it!
Any other questions?
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
