Custom Scrapbook Blog Designs

Pre-made Template: Autumn Three

2012-01-19T22:08:00.005-05:00

Here's a pre-made template I'm offering for $25.

Autumn Three

If you would like to purchase this, use the form below or click here. I'll send you an invoice when I receive your form.

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Pre-made Template: Autumn Two

2012-01-19T20:55:00.004-05:00

Here's a pre-made template I'm offering for $20.

Autumn Two

If you would like to purchase this, use the form below or click here. I'll send you an invoice when I receive your form.

This template was created using the Awesome Autumn Kit By Louise Franks Designs.

Pre-Made Template: Autumn One

2012-01-19T15:59:00.011-05:00

Here's a pre-made template I'm offering for $20.

Autumn One

If you would like to purchase this, use the form below or click here. I'll send you an invoice when I receive your form.

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This template was created using the Awesome Autumn Kit By Louise Franks Designs.

Customized Twitter Backgrounds

2011-12-21T22:17:00.003-05:00

I now offer customized Twitter backgrounds!

To see an example, visit my twitter page @customsbdesigns by clicking here!

Tutorial Tuesday: Re-sizing Buttons

2011-11-02T12:01:00.001-04:00

Have you wanted to post a particular button linking back to a site you liked, but their button wasn't the size that you preferred? Or perhaps their button was too big/too small to fit in your sidebar?

Here's how you can easily re-size buttons so they fit perfectly in your sidebar.

If you don't know how to post buttons in your sidebar, click here to see my tutorial that can show you how to do so in a very easy way!
Your code should look something like the following (the link/image will obviously be different):

3. Now to change the size, you add the following code that I have highlighted in the code in the color purple:

<center><a href="http://customized-designs.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac295/customsbdesigns/Spring/Button.png" width "150" height "150" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center>

To show what the difference is, I transformed this:

to this:

Basically, it went from a 125 px X 125 px to a 150 px X 150 px.

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The Winner is...

2011-10-12T09:27:00.006-04:00

Yes, I know it's October 12th... sorry!

Since coming down with a viral, I haven't had the energy to do much -- and definitely haven't been on my laptop too much.

Anyhow, the winner of our first "Extreme Makeover, Blog Edition" is: Stephanie VanAlmen

Congrats! You have 24 hours to claim the prize!

Email me to get started -- I apologize for the delay now as I am still recovering!

Tutorial Thursday: Displaying Popular Posts

2011-10-06T12:15:00.001-04:00

Blogger now lets your display your most popular posts (most visited) very easily.

Here's how you can display your most popular posts in your sidebar:

Go to the Design tab in your blog (top right corner if you are on your blog's main page).
Scroll down a bit and click Add a Gadget wherever you want to add the tag cloud (sidebar on the left or right, or at the bottom, etc.)
A pop up screen with pop up which says Basics. Scroll down until you see Popular Posts (it should be the second one). You'll see a + button in a blue square right next to it -- Click that.
Once you click it, another screen will pop up (that says Configure Popular Posts). Configure the settings to your liking.
Don't forget to save!

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Don't Forget to Enter our Contest!

2011-09-22T10:01:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to enter the Extreme Makeover, Blog Edition contest by clicking here and viewing this post.

Have you entered?

I will choose a winner on October 10th, 2011!

Tutorial Tuesday: Leaving a Sidebar Gadget Untitled

2011-09-20T13:03:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just don't want or need to put a title in each one of your sidebar gadgets, right? It always annoyed me when I would get the "Required field must not be blank" message and I had to write something.

Thankfully, not soon after I figured out a way around it :)

Here's you can leave the Title portion of a gadget in your sidebar empty in Blogger:

In the Title portion, just enter the following code.

That was easy, wasn't it?

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Extreme Makeover, Blog Edition

2011-09-08T14:45:00.009-04:00

Custom Scrapbook Blog Designs is hosting a giveaway/contest!

Is your blog in dire need of a makeover? Know someone else's blog that is?

You are in luck, because we are having a contest -- Extreme Makeover, Blog Edition!

The prize? A Basic Blog Layout!*

Enter yourself and/or someone you know for a chance for a blog makeover!

Here are the rules:

You must be a follower of this blog to enter! You can easily follow this blog from my sidebar on the right side under "Follow us".
Fill out this form by clicking HERE! You can only enter each blog once!
Tell your friends and spread the word! The more people you refer, the higher chance you have to win!
Extra entries (leave a comment for each entry with a link to each):

blog about it (with a link back to this post),
Follow @customsbdesigns on Twitter and share this contest on Twitter (with a link back to this post and @customsbdesigns somewhere in it),
share on Facebook

If you don't know how to get a direct link to your tweet or Facebook post, ask me!

*The winner is responsible for the cost of the digital kits and/or images they choose to use for their blog*

I will choose a winner on October 10th, 2011!

Invitations, Announcements, Thank You Cards, and more!

2011-09-07T19:55:00.000-04:00

We now offer custom cards!

You want a unique and personalized invitation created for your next (graduation, birthday, family, etc.) party? We can do that.

You want a custom announcement card made for you? We can do that too!

Request a quote today!

Portfolio: Saying "I Do"

2011-08-26T11:13:00.008-04:00

Here's a look at Laura's header and navigation bar:

She also got matching sidebar titles!

This design was created using "Spring Love" by Delicious Scrap.

Blog Makeover!

2011-08-16T18:18:00.001-04:00

We have a new look!

What do you think of it? I would love to hear what you think!

Tutorial Tuesday: Making All of your Link Open in a New Window

2011-08-16T12:53:00.000-04:00

If you link to a lot of outside blogs or websites, it is a good idea to have the links open in a new window so your original page isn't lost in the mess.

Here's an easy way you can do this in Blogger:

Under Design, click Edit HTML.
Find the code <head>
Copy and paste the following under it:

Don't forget to save!

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Portfolio: Jenny at dapperhouse

2011-08-11T16:08:00.011-04:00

Here's her header:

Her signature:

Her button for her followers to grab:

Jenny also got titles for her sidebar gadgets.

This design was created using the kit Sprint Breeze 2.0 by Ruby Lane.

Portfolio: Life in a Break Down

2011-07-29T13:05:00.002-04:00

Sarah won the last giveaway and I absolutely love how her new design turned out:

The above image displays her header, background, and navigation bar. Her design also includes a signature, which is displayed below:

What do you think?

This design was created used the Fresh kit by Delicious Scrap.

Tutorial Thursday: Share Buttons

2011-07-28T12:58:00.005-04:00

Blogger now lets you "share" your blog posts through email, blogger, Twitter , Facebook and Google buzz buttons. You no longer have to embed HTML coding to do it and it's so much easier!

Here's how to add it to your own blog:

Login to Your Blogger Dashboard
Click on Design and then the Page Elements (if you aren't already on there).
Scroll down a little and click on the Edit Button near the Blog Posts (in the big rectangle) and then under Post Page Options, add a check next to the Show Share Buttons.
If you want, you can Drag and Drop the Share buttons and place it where you want at the bottom of that screen under Arrange Items.

Now if everything went right, then you should be able to see the Share buttons on your Blog. If not then read on because it is likely that you have a modded template.

Under Design, click Edit HTML.
Check the “Expand Widget Templates” option and locate (use the ctrl button and f to "find"

Or if that is not there then find

Or if that is not there then find

<data:post.body/>

and place the following code just below whichever of the above was present in your template:

<b:include data='post' name='shareButtons'/>

</div>

Don't forget to Save your template.

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Tutorial Tuesday: Expandable Posts

2011-07-12T11:43:00.014-04:00

Want to make your blog posts seem less cluttered? Or show only summaries? Blogger now lets you have expandable posts to they appear in condensed form on your main page, but allows readers to "read more" if they want. It's a great way for readers to easily find the content they are looking for without having to scroll through long articles.

Here's how:

Open up a New Post in Blogger.
Write out your blog post as you normally would. But where you want the summary (or whatever part of the blog post you want to appear on the main page) to end, Click Insert jump break from the toolbar.
Publish post as you normally would.

If this method works for you, great. If it doesn't, no worries - it just means you have a customized template. Follow the following steps

Under Design, click Edit HTML.
Check the “Expand Widget Templates” option and locate (use the ctrl button and f to "find" the following HTML code: <data:post.body/>
Right underneath that, paste the following code:

<b:if cond='data:post.hasJumpLink'>

</div>

</b:if>

4. Click on Save Template.

Did that work for you?

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Blog Makeover Giveaway!

2011-07-08T12:06:00.009-04:00

I'm having a giveaway for a Basic Blog Layout as part of the Blog Designer Network Twitter Party!

The Basic Blog Layout includes a two column layout, custom header, background, and installation. This does NOT include the price of a digital kit or other images. The winner will be responsible for paying for the digital kit they choose.

There are several ways you can enter:

Blog about this giveaway on your blog(s) and include the link to this blog in your blog post. Don't forget to post the link to your blog post as a comment on this blog post.

Follow us on twitter at @customsbdesigns and tweet about this giveaway. Use @customsbdesigns somewhere in the tweet so I can see it AND a link back to this blog. Also leave a comment here so I know to look for it.

an example is 'need a blog makeover? @customsbdesigns is holding a giveaway at http://t.co/Fuf4NI9'

Become a follower via 'Google Friend Connect' (in my sidebar) and leave a comment letting me know.

Become a Facebook fan of Custom Scrapbook Blog Designs and 'share' this giveaway on Facebook. Leave a comment on this blog post letting me know.

Leave a separate comment for each entry!

Hurry, this giveaway ends at 11 PM EST tomorrow!

For other giveaways during the twitter party, check the hash-tag #BDNparty on Twitter tomorrow around 9 PM EST!

Blog Packages Sale!

2011-06-30T11:47:00.002-04:00

Tired of your current blog design? Looking to get a blog makeover for a great price?

Order one of the already low priced packages by July 2nd and get an additional 20% off!

You must mention this sale when you place your order to get the 20% off.

Away

2011-06-30T11:31:00.000-04:00

I will be away from my computer for the most part from July 11, 2011 to July 27th, 2011.

If you email me during that time frame, I will get back to your email soon after!

Tutorial Tuesday: Changing the Color of Your Navigation Bar

2011-06-28T19:02:00.004-04:00

You see that blue navigation bar running across the top of your screen in Blogger blogs? Did you know that you can change the color of that navigation bar?

Here's how to to change the color in Blogger:

Go to your Design page (top right corner if you are currently at your blog's home page).
Under Add and Arrange Page Elements, find the thin blue element that says "Navbar" in the center. It is right above your header element, if that makes it easier to find for you.
Click on Edit and choose which ever option you like most. I personally like the transparent one!

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Portfolio: Babbling Brooke

2011-06-11T00:04:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love the colors and the simplistic design of this one!

This design was created used the Fresh kit by Delicious Scrap.

Tutorial Thursday: Exporting or Backing up Posts

2011-06-09T11:11:00.003-04:00

Whether its because you are transferring platforms, want to have a back-up of all of your blogs posts on your blog currently, or whatever your reason is.... exporting your blog posts is quite easy to do.

Here's how you can export all of your posts in Blogger to back them up:

Click Design (top right corner from the main screen of your blog).
Click Settings. It should be the one right before Design which is the screen you are currently in.
Under the heading Basic (where is where you are now), you'll see in bold terms it says Blog Tools. On the right of it, you have three options: import blog, export blog, and delete blog. Click Export Blog.
You should now be in a screen called Export your Blog. Click Download Blog. This should save your a file on your computer with all of your current blog posts.

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Tutorial Tuesday: Creating a Label Cloud

2011-05-24T14:02:00.005-04:00

Tag Clouds are an easy and uncluttered way to display to your readers what you write about. Blogger now let's you implement one in your blog very easily!

Here's how:

Go to the Design tab in your blog (top right corner if you are on your blog's main page).
Scroll down a bit and click Add a Gadget wherever you want to add the tag cloud (sidebar on the left or right, or at the bottom, etc.)
A pop up screen with pop up which says Basics. Scroll down until you see Labels (it should be the sixth one from the bottom). You'll see a + button in a blue square right next to it -- Click that.
Once you click it, another screen will pop up (that says Configure Labels). You'll see four things you can configure in this screen (Title, Show, Sorting, and Display). Under Display, to display as a cloud.

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