How to Jazz Up Your Blog

I have read some comments in different blogs about bloggers who would like to jazz up their blog, change the look and make it more them. Well my friends, this is an easy-peasy proposition. Really! Trust me. If I can do this, anyone can because I am most likely the least tech savvy person on the face of this great green globe and I can do it. :D

A couple of things before we begin. The sites to which I will link require that your blog template settings is the Minima setting. If you blog isn't Minima, you will have to change that. You can do that by delving into the settings feature on your dashboard. Most sites have designs for two and three column Minima templates.

If you don't want to have the Minima template, there are sites for backgrounds for your blog, too but I am not familiar with them. But the process for installing them should be pretty similar.

Okay, now that you are sure that you have a Minima template, let's go shopping! :D

There are a ton of sites on the webz that offer pretty designs for blogs for free. If you want something highly customized, you can find sites that will custom design something for you for a fee.

Here are some links:

The Cutest Blog on the Block. This is where I found my current background.

Hot Bliggety Blog

Shabby Blogs

Dotty Dot Dot Designs

Cute and Cool Designs... A particular favourite of mine!

There are many, many sites to suite every taste and blog template.

*It is vitally important that you chose the right background type. If your blog is two column (like mine) you must choose a background for two column blogs. If your blog is three column, you must choose a background for three column blogs. They are not interchangeable.*

Okay, now that you have gone shopping and have found the background that makes you squeal, it is time to make it yours! All yours! Muahahahahaha!

Oops! Sorry. Got a little carried away, there.

When you find your design, make sure that you have a second browser open and your blog is up and you are signed in. Now, capture the code for the background. This is easy as falling off a chair. Some sites have you click on the design to find the code, some have the code right under the design. Copy the code to your puter. If you have never copy and pasted, it is really easy.

Here's how:

Set your cursor at the beginning of the text/code you want to copy to your computer. Now, hold down your left click button and scroll slowly down the text/code highlighting it as you go. Just highlight what you want to copy and eventually paste. This takes a tad bit of patience and practice, just take your time until you get the hang of it.

Once the text/code is highlighted, release the left click and, with the text/code highlighted, press Ctrl c on your keyboard. (Just press the Ctrl key and while holding it down, press the c.) You have now copied the text/code to your computer.

Once you have captured the code and have it in your puter, it is time to install that bad boy.

Go to your other browser with your blog up and you signed in. Since Blogger changed the Design feature (which I find highly annoying, but whatever...) I click New Post, then Dashboard. On Dashboard, I go to Design. When the page for making changes comes up:

Go to the top, under your title and click on the Add a Gadget. A box will open with a bunch of options.

Choose HTML/ JavaScript.  Open that box and in the big text box, paste the code that you captured from the background site.

Pasting is easy, too. Just click your cursor in the top left of the box, then press Ctrl v keys on your computer. (Press the Ctrl key and while holding it down, press v.) The code will appear in the box. (Sometimes it doesn't work and you will need to go back and recapture the code, just repeat the process, nothing to freak out over. :D)

Now click Save. And click View Blog and admire your pretty new background. :D

I will do a post on headers, soon. 'cause what good is a new background without a schnazzy header to go with it? :D