A Gremlin's Match for Centering Banners

While working on several customer blogs recently I noticed that the "center banner" code from my tutorial How to: Center a Blog Header, really wasn't working very well.  It's not that it completely malfunctioned, it's just that sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. This is something we like to call the Blogger Gremlins.  Those pesky little hiccups that pop-up randomly and interfere with how things are supposed to work, only not all of the time.

I thought it was about time to put an end to this little bit of nonsense, so I went on the hunt for something better and happily I found it!  It's an easy process for "pushing" a blogger banner over to the right and I've put the instructions together in one of my easy to follow step-by-step tutorials titled: How to: Push (or Center) a Blog Banner.  I left the previous tutorial still posted, since the glitchiness comes and goes, so you can try them both out and see what works best for you.  And for now, maybe that gremlin will go off and play somewhere else... I hear Tumblr's a fun place to visit.

Enjoy~

Tutorial Revisions and Update

One of the trickiest parts about blogging over these past years has been trying to figure out how to offer snippets of Html code within my blog posts. If you've ever tried to do this it's a real headache because our blog posts are written in the same language so a simple snippet of code inserted within a blog post can easily be mistaken as part of the posting itself. It's been an especially big stumbling block with my most recent tutorial How to: Setup the Picture Window Template.  I feel awful for any headaches my previous tutorials have caused as I try to offer helpful assistance, not additional headaches.

The good news is that thanks to Rajib over at Techncom I've finally successfully overcome the issues, whoot!  Now, my tutorials will include the required Html code directly within the postings so there's no more cumbersome downloads and additional files to hassle with.  So if you've tried my newest tutorial, How to: Setup the Picture Window Template, and struggled in the past please give it another try.  You'll find it works great now without the error messages.  I even had it successfully tested by a novice with no Html or blogging experience and they were able to successfully setup and modify the "Picture Window" template, whoot! 
Here's the direct link for those of you using your mobile devices: http://plumroselane-tutorials.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-setup-picture-window-template.html

Enjoy~

Help with Blogger's New Interface - new tutorial

I know many of you have been struggling lately with the new Blogger interface. It's a huge change from the old look and super easy to get lost in. So for those of you who would like to revert back to the old look I've created a brief tutorial to help you navigate your way.

The steps are super easy so just click here to follow along with this new tutorial~

Blogger Interface: How to Revert Back

Enjoy~

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´✻✻✻And don't miss a chance to enter the Suburban Retreat's giveaway for a chance to win one of my custom blog themes all your own! Click here to enter!(¸.•´ (¸.•´✻

New Tutorials Page Item

Recently I've received alot of questions and inquiries about how templates and backgrounds work and what the differences are. While this subject is tough to understand and even harder to explain, it's a real stumbling point especially for new bloggers and so it's one that needs to be addressed.

Since I found myself rewriting the same explanations over and over again I figured it was about time to put it all down in one convenient Q & A format. It's handier for my Followers and saves me time, whoot! I've also made it in PDF format so it's easy to download and keep on your own computer. So here's the direct link: Understanding Basic Blog Design Issues for Blogger and you'll also find it listed on the main tutorials page of my site.

I hope this helps to make things just a bit clearer for those of you who are struggling to understand the differences and allows you more time to do what you love ~ blog of course.

Enjoy~

New Tutorial ~ Blog Posts on Facebook

Recently a customer contacted me with a question about whether she could add her blog posts to Facebook. Naturally I went to refer her to my handy step-by-step tutorial and was absolutely stunned to find I had never written one?!?

Setting up your blog posts to show up on your Facebook pages is easy as pie, and that's saying alot for Facebook (my arch nemesis when it comes to ease of use). So I've finally written a tutorial for adding your blog posts to Facebook and this includes both both personal profile pages as well as business pages.

I find having my blog posts show up on my Facebook profile is a great way to gain extra exposure for my postings *waves to all my FB Friends*. I do try to keep in mind though that whatever shows up in the Notes area can be viewed by everyone and their mother. This is because Facebook has it set that everything that shows up on the Notes pages is entirely public, regardless of your privacy settings so be sure to keep this in mind before moving on to this new tutorial:
How to: Setup Blog Posts on Facebook

Enjoy~

New Tutorial - The Basics of "Following" & "Followers"

Recently a friend/customer and fellow blogger ran into some issues with the "Following" feature ~ namely, sometimes her identity was showing up as anonymous and other times it turned out she wasn't following the blog at all. While it's difficult to say whether this was simply a Blogger glitch, there have been far too many lately, or whether this is an issue that can be easily resolved, I figured it wouldn't hurt to cover some basics on the "Following" feature.

And so I've created a new tutorial titled The Basics of "Following" & "Followers" which highlights some of the key points of Following and even offers a little troubleshooting. Simply click on the title above to view the tutorial or find it in the future on the Tutorials page.

I hope this helps to make your adventures in Blogland that much more enjoyable and stress free ~

Enjoy!

New Tutorial! Working with Titles & Labels

I've just added a new tutorial to my growing list of Blogging helpfuls ~ this one focuses on the importance of using Titles and Labels in your blog posts ~ here's a direct link.

If you're unfamiliar with this aspect of blogging do check it out as it may be helpful to you and as always...

Enjoy!

New Tutorial ~ Working with Your Blogger Profile

Today I'm offering a little help in the realm of Blogger profiles. You see, there are so many lovely souls who visit my blog and while here they usually click to "Follow" or leave a sweet comment.

However, when I try to respond-in-kind, too many times I'm unable to find them ~ sadly their blog isn't tied into their profile.

Soooo, in an effort to alleviate this problem and in the hopes of being able to find some of you wonderful souls I've written a new tutorial on How to Setup and Edit Your Blogger Profile.

To view this easy step-by-step tutorial simply click here and I hope to be visiting all of you in the very near future.

Enjoy!

New Products! 2011 Calendar & Tutorials Book

I've just completed two very cool projects, the first of which is this set of fabulous 2011 calendar templates.

They're perfect for photographers or artists wishing to create calenders using their own work ~ to sell or give as gifts. The set includes 12 months and tutorials for use with both Photoshop & PS Elements although these templates may be used in most graphic programs.

They're a wonderful tool for artists and they're available for purchase in the Promoting section of my etsy shop.

The next project I just completed was an overhaul of my Blogging Tutorials book. It now features some fabulous graphics to help make the experience of following along with my tutorials even more enjoyable.

Each tutorial comes in pdf format and the set has a wonderful old world feel from the black bound digital cover to the weathered pages. It's a great way to have all of the blogging help you need in place, readily at your fingertips, and purchasing this set comes with free updates. My Blogging Tutorials book is also available for purchase in my etsy shop in the Learning section.

Enjoy!

A Helping Hand

We all know blogging is great fun, it's what brings us together in blogland. We enjoy writing and sharing our thoughts, feelings and photos about the things we love. But there's a more challenging side to blogging which often keeps us from truly enjoying the experience... the dreaded technical stuff.

Let's face it... getting in and probing behind-the-scenes of our blogs can often feel like a lonely walk on a dark night.

Well... did you know I'm willing to give a helping hand? That's right! I'm here to give assistance to those of you who may not have the know-how OR just have better things to do with their time.

You may be looking for something simple, like setting up a few sidebar images or you may want your entire blog theme changed. You might want a 3 column layout or you might be looking to go back to a 2 column layout. Whatever your situation, I'm here to help you out.

Simply contact me via email to discuss what you're looking to do with your blog. We'll go over the items on your list and the cost. Payment is easy & affordable. You pay me and I get to work, turning your blog into the dream blog you're looking for.

It's safe and easy! You'll add me as a temporary user and delete me when the work is completed. Simply follow an easy step-by-step tutorial (you can take a peak by clicking here) and I'll personally go into your blog, fix things the way you want them, and voila! A gorgeous blog, just the way you want it, without the headaches!

OR you can save money and simply buy an hour of my help. I'll do the work in an hour for one low price. Simply click the button below and you're off to saving time & money.

Whatever the blog job, whatever you need, I can help you finally enjoy your blogging experience by taking away the worries & hassles and letting you get back to what you love about being here... blogging.






A special thanks to my 14 yr old son for helping me with this posting as sales and marketing are definitely NOT my forte. ;-)

Helping Hand

Need help with your blog? I'm happy to lend a hand.  Whether you're looking to use one of my Designer Themes and can't figure out how to get things setup or you just don't want to be bothered with the headaches, I can help you have a beautiful blog.

The cost is $35 for an hour of my time and here is some of what this may include:

✻Installation & Modifications of Blogger Template for my Designer Blog Themes
✻Installation of my Designer Themes including background, header, and sidebar tags
✻Installation of Blog Badge, Post Divider, and Blog Signature Images
✻Setup and adjustments to template layout (2 and 3 column blog layouts included)

Simply click the link below to buy an hour of my time.

Here is a list of tutorials for items I normally cover during an average hour of work:

How to: Setup the "Picture Window" Template
How to: Install a Decorative Blog Background
How to: Install a Blog Header
How to: Center a Blog Header
How to: Install Sidebar Tags ~ picture gadget
How to: Install a Blog Badge ~ html code gadget
How to: Add a Favicon
How to: Add a Post Signature
How to: Add a Decorative Post Divider

I also offer help fixing some blog issues ~ please contact me before purchasing to be sure I'm able to help with your specific situation and blog needs.

Be sure to email me if you have any specific questions about your own blog. Just send a message to: plumroselane@gmail.com.

Best~