Sunday 23 January 2011

How to upload your header through photobucket

Level: Easy

There has been some problem through blogger that if you upload your header from your computer, it gets all blurry and icky and OMG if I don't get that fixed I am going to flip out-y. (well, maybe that's just me.) But anyway, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. IT'S BLOGGER'S FAULT.  And heres how y'all's can fix it.

You have to have a photobucket account. Not a flickr, a photobucket. Design your header however you want it (if you don't have it already) and then upload it.

Now, view only the header that you uploaded, and click the "Direct link" button. It will automatically copy the link for you.

 Now, you go to how you would usually upload your header. If you don't know how to do this, click here. But, instead of uploading it from your computer, click "From the web" which should be under the browse box. Copy the post into there and click "save".

If your header is perfectly centered, that is great, don't do anything from here. Mine wasn't, so i had to take these steps.

We are going to use some HTML. Don't freak out, it's ok. CTRL+F really helps. Click CTRL+F and in that box, search for [[><b:skin>. Directly before that, paste the following:

#header-inner img {margin: 0 auto !important;}

This should work! Now enjoy your perfectly centered header. (and non blurry.)



Friday 21 January 2011

how to make a button for your blog

Level: Medium
{I leveled this "medium" because a) you have to get that creativity out of yourself to design the button, and b) we are using HTML code. Fun, right?!}

Ok. ready to get started?

I am going to be using pse 8 for this. But really you can use any photo editing software you feel like. There's Pixlr, Picknik, whatevs. moving on, children, moving on... Now you have to make a new document (control + n on photoshop elements) and make it 125 pixels x 125 pixels. Now you design your little heart out.
*hint: don't make it say that.

Did you have fun designing your little button? I'm glad. Save it as a jpeg on your desktop, or somewhere it is easily accesible. now you have to sign up for photobucket. Sign in, and upload your button.

you can simply click on the direct link to copy it. now, you need to open up a place where you can type: microsoft word, note pad, a draft in your email, whatevs. Now, you need to copy/paste this code there:

<div align="center"> <a href="http://blogaddresshere.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="blog name here" src="photobucket adress here" /></a> </div> <div align="center"> <form><textarea rows="6" cols="20"><center><a href="http://blogaddresshere.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="blog name here" src="photobucket address here" /></a></center></textarea></form> </div>
you have to replace all in red with your information... your blog adress, your blog name, and the photobucket address (direct link) you just copied. Now, you need to copy this code and go to your blogger dashboard.
Go to your "design" and click "add a gadget."
Scroll down until where it says "Html/javascript". Click add, and title it whatever you want. "button" will do just dandy. In the text box, paste the HTML code that you copied. Click "save" and you should be done!

Enjoy your beautiful new blog button!!
Seriously.
*also, please don't copy and paste, k? i just spent a good 45 minutes on this tutorial, just for you guys. :)
did this tutorial not work for you? do you have additional questions/comments? just want to say how much you looove gracely designs? email me, at gracie (dot) drechsel (at) gmail (dot) com or just click that pretty little comment button down there.  

Monday 17 January 2011

how to watermark your photos

alternative title: my first photoshop tutorial

Level: medium and a half
Yes, this is my very first photoshop tutorial. I will use PSE8 for all of my tutorials. I think that watermarking is a great idea... it gives your photos a personal touch and keeps bad guys from stealing your pictures. 

The first thing you need to do is start a new document. {control+n}. It doesn't really matter the size (it just can't be super tiny) because we will crop it later. In the drop down box, make sure it says "transparent."

now is the creative part. what do you want it to look like? you can use custom shape tool, fonts, whatevs. have fun with it.

next, it's time to crop it. you want to crop it pretty closely around the shape. (i don't know if this really matters, but this is what i do so whatevs.)


now its time to save it as a watermark. you go to edit > define brush. name it, click OK and your you're good to go!

to watermark them, you must be on the brush tool. Go to the drop down box and scroll down to the bottom. You will find your watermark there. Then, simply stamp the watermark on your photo. You're done!

questions? email me at gracie.drechsel@gmail.com.
peace out, yo!