Bloggy Tips

I thought about making a new category for these, but I don't really have THAT many of them, so I decided to just make a single post about it and then link it from my sidebar. ☺ Truthfully, I found all these things by googling, so you can find them too...but hey, I'll give you a shortcut.
(this post will be updated if/as applicable)

--->This is where I got directions for making a 3 column layout OR a wider 2-column layout (there are others, but this is the one I used) (This is another one that I came across just recently...) It gives the step-by-step directions for changing the html code to change the layout on your blog. It looks a little overwhelming but just remember to make a backup like it says, and that way if you ruin it all it's easy to go back and try again!

--->This is where I got directions for putting margins between my columns (I didn't need it on this page, but I did need it for my shop blog, which is much more complicated!) Once you've done the 3-column thing, this is a breeze!

--->This is where I got directions for making my labels into a word cloud (so that the more-used topics have bigger text and all that) This does involve getting into your html code, but it's a copy and paste thing, rather than making changes, so it's pretty easy--just pay attention to the directions!!!

--->This site has all the info for making a scroll box for text, graphics, or code (To do code, go to his FAQ for directions)

--->This post has VERY EASY instructions (much easier than the last site) for posting a button with the code to copy it. I have been through lots of sites with complicated directions (like the one above) but this one has simple copy/paste (and replace) code. It's only applicable for buttons (which is why I've left the previous link), but it's very user friendly. ☺

--->Blogger Buster has a bunch of neat widgets, such as the top commenter one or the most popular posts (as determined by how many comments they have). They are extra easy to use because all you have to do is enter your URL into the blank and they will send the code over to your blog--no cutting and pasting or even following directions! Once they shoot it over to you, you can move it around in your layout just like any other widget.

--->This has weather widgets for the USA and Canada. Just enter your zip code and it will give you the code to copy and paste!


A basic note about html (if you are not familiar with it): every code has to have an opening and a closing tag. The opening tag has the information about what to do with the text, and the closing tag uses a slash / to indicate the end of the designated code. SO to make something bolded, you put <"b> in front of it, and <"/b> at the end (no " but if I left that out then it would actually function as the tag, bolding my text there and not showing the tag!)
The html used in web layout is more elaborate, but the same rules apply--everything has to open and close. So if you get an error message of some kind when making changes to your layout, just go back to your saved version, and try again--paying attention to make sure that when you copy/paste code around you are not missing any critical little < or } or anything like that!