notesfromthetrenchesIII

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Friday, October 21, 2005

The New Look

The problem with being a perfectionist is that nothing is ever perfect enough. When I began changing my design I had no idea I was going to do something so involved. I was just going to change the background color, which I thought was a big deal. Perfectionism is a curse really, because I am never happy with anything I do.

It all sort of just evolved over the course of the past few days. There was one moment when I got up and left my computer on the couch. I returned to the room to find the baby banging on the keyboard. I thought I was going to die, right then and there.

But honestly, I had no idea how the whole html thing worked. I went around and looked at the code to other people's blogs and then googled the tags to see what they meant. Then I read some online html tutorials, which pretty much caused my eyes to bleed.

I really liked how Kristin, at 1902 Victorian, has photos of her old house across the top of her blog and I wanted something similar. That was the header I had yesterday with five individual photos. But that was taking too long to load. I knew there was a way to import (ooooo, I feel like I am using an SAT word) the pictures to Paint Shop Pro, but I didn't know how. So yeah, googled that. And I wanted some sort of border.

Blah, blah, blah, interesting to no one, not even me, I ended up with this design. There are still some things I want to change, but can't figure out how to do them. But they will have to wait as I can't ignore my house and kids for another day. And apples... by God I have apples to eat and bake into delicious treats. And leaves to rake. And hayrides to go on, And pumpkins to carve... and... and... well I simply have to force myself to step away from the computer.

I had a real entry I was going to post this morning, but blogger ate it. I can't help but feel like it is getting back at me.

26 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like it! I like the pictures across the top and I like the font you used for your title.

And figuring out what you like, looking at other people's sites and googling to understand what you are looking at it one of the best ways to learn this stuff.

9:27 AM  
Blogger Thicket Dweller said...

I like it, too, especially the way you did the photos. Very nice.

Have you ever considered making your main section wider? Do you know how to do that? I like the look of more text and less background, but, hey, that's just me.

9:33 AM  
Blogger Notes from the Trenches said...

thicket dweller, I *do* want to do that. I just can't figure out how!

9:42 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

I think I have that font on my computer somewhere. I like the new title and picture!

Anyways if there are any specific questions you have, feel free to ask. I've googled all sorts of stuff when redesigning my blog so I have a pretty decent list of html websites that I can suggest.

Also with redesigns? I tend to do mine in January because there's nothing better to do than stare outside at the snow and replace batteries in Christmas toys.

9:43 AM  
Blogger Karan Simpson said...

You've done well with the redesign!

10:06 AM  
Blogger K said...

*blushing* I'm glad you like my site! :) Mine are little individual pictures across the top. I did try to make it all one big banner instead of individual pics, but they looked all crazy afterward. I'll try again one day ...

11:05 AM  
Blogger Julie Brooks Barbour said...

I have the most boring blog template in the world. I won't change it because I'm certain I'll screw something up.

I look the new look of your website, as well as the pictures across the screen. Your kids are so cute!

11:05 AM  
Blogger blackbird said...

still liking it!

12:15 PM  
Blogger Stacey said...

I love the new design. I have been wanting to change mine forever, mostly because we had the same template and your blog has much funnier stories, so mine seemed silly! So last night I too googled and tried to learn CSS and HTML. What did I end up? Another blogger template, cause I ruined the old one trying to make changes. C'est la vie.

12:16 PM  
Blogger Blair said...

Love the new design, and am jealous in a way... but your kids are so cute that it would be hard to ruin any photo banner if they are in it.

I too have been meaning to change the "look" of mine.

12:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oooh, I really like it! You've done well! I can't promise that I'm not going to want to know how you did it, either. How'd you get the black borders and stuff? Dang. This is pretty good.

1:42 PM  
Blogger Sleeping Mommy said...

I love it!

I've toyed with my templates over the past year. That's how I started, with putting a different picture at the top. And I always wanted to add more things to my columns so soon I wanted three columns and had no clue how to do it so I hired someone.

It's kind of fun at the same time that it is frustrating, to decipher all that code though and figure it out for yourself. When it works for you anyway.

I LOVE THE HEADER BANNER!

3:55 PM  
Blogger Dollymama said...

Love it! New looks for fall, all around!

4:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The top banner is covering over text.. ARRRRGGGG

8:21 PM  
Blogger Notes from the Trenches said...

Is it really chuck? Why isn't it doing that for me?

8:48 PM  
Blogger yrfrdsteph@gmail.com said...

I have been enjoying your site for quite awhile. You are a talented writer. I have four boys and homeschool the two yougest. That is how I found out about your site.

Your new design looks great. I thought I would share this website that I found. I hope to utilize it in the future. I want to think of how I would want it designed first. She does it for free. http://www.zootsdesigns.com/
She seems super talented and you tell her your ideas and she does her best.

I too learned HTML on my own. It is such a great feeling when your page comes up right, after doing it 20 times. I have a site at myfamily.com where I utilize it.

Steph

10:03 PM  
Blogger Kathy said...

Chris; the pics are GREAT! Does your post BEGIN with this sentence? or is it a problem with Mozilla (Firefox)?

"But honestly, I had no idea how the whole html thing worked. "

10:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lookin' good!

10:29 PM  
Blogger Notes from the Trenches said...

harvestmoon,

no it begins two paragraphs before that! hmmmm, that must be what chuck means. Any idea how to fix that?

10:35 PM  
Blogger Annalise said...

The first words I see (using Firefox) are "thought I was going to die, right then and there". I didn't realise there was something missing till I read Chuck's comment. :-)

The border round the pics looks good, fwiw, and so does the new font for the header!

2:47 AM  
Blogger Kate Giovinco Photography said...

I love it it looks great in internet explorer.

7:47 AM  
Blogger Kathy said...

are you using HTML or CSS or PHP to create your blog? Sounds like either way you have overlapping sections. Like you've made your header area and your text area overlapping each other. Does that make sense?

10:18 PM  
Blogger Kathy said...

ok, you're using CSS so you have a "style.css" file, correct? You're still using blogger, so did you manually edit some .css files? If so, look for height values and see if you can remember changing those. This probably isn't any help. Sorry...

10:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, I love your banner!

I LOVE your banner, it is beautiful! You might be inspiring me to tackle mine soon--I have a new baby to add to my family pics.
When I started my blog, I took a whole day to make a photo banner similar to that, I used Microsoft PictureIt, cuz that's all I know how to use. It is impossible to work with, and now I am afraid to change anything about it.

5:34 PM  
Blogger Toni said...

I LOVE the new look, and the photos are all terrific. You've got a great eye!

3:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Imagine the power of tens of thousands of other web sites being able to easily

5:13 AM  

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